I consider the topic of zombies one of my hobbies. But I still wrestle with one main thing, any organism that moves needs energy and it's needs to eat or somehow gain energy inorder for continue to operate (living or dead). Now I've read the zombie survial guide and it supposes that zombies don't' actually have a working digestive track. It's the virus solamun, taking over the orgranism and trying to replicate. So my millionaire dollar question is:

If zombies don't consume humans for food, where does their energy come from?

This is a question i have pondered from time to time. The only things I have been able to come up with as possible explanations are:

1) Anaerobic metabolism, consuming whatever sugars, fats, and proteins are present at the time of death;

2) A possible new enzyme carried by the virus, which has the function to break down and create more energy anaerobically from lactic acid, which is the byproduct of anaerobic metabolism.

3) A symbiotic relationship with some sort of microorganism which is able to generate excess energy (ATP) for zombie function.

Note also that as zombies do not have any cellular growth or division, and do not generate body heat, their metabolic requirements are much lower than those of the living.

The battle rages but they fight in vain
When all is done it must begin again
-"Freya", the Sword

maybe the virus actually uses it's host as food, and all zombies have a shelf life before they kick it? If you think of it in biological terms, the virus is just concerned with replicating itself and infecting other oganisms, not on the host surviving.

Well, viruses typically have little need for "food" beyond what it takes to make copies of themselves, but in a sense, if zombies can only fuel themselves on what they have in them, they are sorta like batteries, and will eventually use up their "juice", so to speak. And yeah, as discussed in other threads, the zombie is really just a vector for virus propagation in this model.

Also, this model really depends on the slow shambler type zombies; the haul-ass zombies wouldn't last more than a few days if they got no nutrition from their snacking, and wouldn't be able to sustain long term haul-assery on oxygen-free metabolism.

The battle rages but they fight in vain
When all is done it must begin again
-"Freya", the Sword

I'm of the opinion that the virus activates the nodes in the back of the brain and supply it with power as it reactivates the nervous systems and gets the muscles working. In order for it to continue to power the nodes, and thus power the brain and keep the Z moving, it needs food. So it has the Z eat flesh, which is full of protein and glucose, and digest the flesh as fast as possible so it can keep things moving.

However, had I seen a Zombie already, we'd be in a lot of trouble

Bury deep, pile on the stones

Yet I will, dig up the bones

As said before it is unknown where they get the energy. I assume we would not know either if a outbreak happened since studying a zombie is a very dangerous process where the con outwiegh the pros.

Actually, if the facilities were available, somebody studying zombies would be extremely useful. Yeah, it's risky, but the more we can learn the more likely we'd be to find the way to effectively deal with the problem.

And knowing their energy source is among the most basic questions. it'd have to be some natural process, but a zombie powered by only it's own reserves is going to be different from one powered by photosynthesis or which actually still fuels up by eating.

The battle rages but they fight in vain
When all is done it must begin again
-"Freya", the Sword

this would be a perfect facilitie for studeying zombies http://members.tripod.com/wodgotham1/rikers.htm

Will you hold me back? If need be I will leave you behind...

i think we have established that a zombie is at least twice as strong as a regular person... so youthink we should catch zombies and study them? have you any idea how much manpower it will take to jsut drag one in? i mena if you pull one up on a rope it can lunge at you. you'd need like lassos on every limb and spread it out like a bedsheet at four corners...

i believe that unless you have 20+ superbly equipped people, keeping zombie pets will be a retarted idea. too much "if" for too little "why"

war's my game
destruction by no other name

Agreed. The Dead do not play fetch

Bury deep, pile on the stones

Yet I will, dig up the bones