Mathematics of Zombies

Published on August 1, 2025

Imagine this: A mysterious new illness is discovered in a remote corner of the world. They say it could be a new strain of Malaria while some fear a new outbreak of the feared Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever. The disease spreads quickly from it’s birthplace and as flu-like symptoms develop into total organ failure the World Health Organization declares a global health emergency. Many begin to panic, others simply deny it, but just when we think it can’t get any worse, the dead rise from their hospital beds to devour the flesh of the living and spread their sickness. As panic sets in, the unthinkable happens: the dead rise.

Not metaphorically, literally.

The infected lurch out of hospital beds, attacking the living and spreading their sickness by bite. Society teeters on the edge of collapse. Humanity is in freefall.

So… what do we do?

Well, if you’re a mathematician, there’s really only one question worth asking:

How can we model this with math?