I am still no closer to understanding the outbreak than when it first started. My recent experiements have provided interesting results, but rather than enrich my knowledge, it seems to have undermined previous assumptions. These set of experiments were designed to understand the workings of a zombie, how and why their cells survive even when the body has taken so much damage the original 'person' has died. The results are explained below:
EXPERIMENT 23: Blood flow in a zombie
Abstract: This preliminary experiment aimed to understand blood flow around an infected corpse. Blood flow is essential in delivering vital components, such as oxygen and glucose, to organs and muscles to enable cells to work efficently. Zombies do not bleed if cut as a regular person would. Nor do those that have bled to death and then become infected have any trouble with movement. Studies have revealed those 'infected alive' or pseudo-zombie as it has been called, do indeed have a typical circulation system. However, 'regular' infected dead do not. This suggests the virus must use an alternative system, perhaps in parallel to reanimate and then work dead cells. This system might work in parallel to the typical circulation system, thus explaining why the pseudo-zombie is the much quicker and dangerous type. As of yet, this alternative system to maintain cells is a complete mystery. Samples reveal that some cells are indeed repaired and replaced if infected after death, how or why a virus would do this is also a complete mystery.
EXPERIMENT 24: Nerve cell repair and transmission in zombies
Abstract: The brain is the command centre of the body, responsible for everything from automatic breathing to abstract thought. It is well documented that destroying or damaging the brain causes the destruction of a zombie, and those who die of high trauma to the head do not reanimate as a zombie (see Experiments 4-11). However, it is not understood why the brain cannot be repaired in ways other cells in the body can (and with apparent ease), espicially when only minimal function is required. While my experience is not with neurological functioning, I was able to examine the spinal cord for a short period of a restrained zombie male. Voltage testing revealed that nerve cells do not seem to travel up or down the spinal cord in a regular zombie. Under increased magnification I was able to observe a fine layer of new material on the outside of the spinal cord which did show electronic activity in relation ot movement from the zombie. This unknown material tranversed small breaks in the spinal cord, but not large ones. Theoretically this could be used to repair minor spinal cord damage in an individual. Again, I wonder how a virus is capable of this.
EXPERIMENT 21: Can a zombie starve to death? (ongoing)
This is an update from my previous entry regarding this experiment. As of yet the zombie is still 'alive', this is 6 weeks in. However, weight loss has been occurring, albeit at a very slow rate. This has slowed even more over time. Zombies do seem to require nourishment to survive, I had feared I had lost grip on my scientific reasoning. They appear to have an incredibly slow metabolism. It seems my subject will expire eventually, but after an extended period of time. Zombies able to access food will be able to survive for an incredbily long time, thus attempting to 'wait out' the Event may take longer than intially calculated.
Signing off
Doctor James Rhodes
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