I realised this evening that my survival plans for a zombie attack, or other disaster that wipes the rest of mankind apart from me a handful of survivors (many of which always seem to be very cute girls for some reason...?) are fatally flawed.
Well, to be percise, the zombie attack survival scenario is more flawed than most of the others.
The reason?
Nuclear meltdown. If mankind disappeared or was alrgely taken out by the zombie menace, then no one would be around to look after the many nuclear reactors scattered around the UK (or the world). Now I read an article last year (in the New Scientist magazine - it was a great article on what would happen to Mother Earth if mankind just vanished overnight - in short we'd be forgotten very quickly and any trace of our civilisation would be pretty much 100% vanished within a very short amount of time). This article put nuclear meltdown of the reactors taking place about three days into mankinds disappearance.
As such in a 28 Days Later type affair we'd actually have about 3 days to find somewhere safe before mainland Britain experienced 17 Chernobyls!
Now the problem with this is that the only really safe places will be the tunnels and fall out shelters. For those of us living in London many udnerground stations would usually provide some sort of cover from the initial fallout but these will more than likely be zombie-filled. Obviously barricading yourself in a high rise would usually be a good initial option against the zombie horde but exposes you to the fallout during its most dangerous time.
It's possible to try and get to one of the nuclear shelters scattered around London but most people won't have a clue where these are. There are, of course, hundreds of underground structures that one could utilise if you knew where they are located (Check out Subterranea Britannica for some pointers). Of course this does mean venturing out into the chaos, but it's either that or start glowing!
Obviously without the zombie menace you are, comparitively, better off as you will have less problems getting to underground shelters and picking up supplies, etc, en route. Remember you will have three or four days to gather as much as possible before things start going boom! This obviously will also affect all water supplies so you'll be living off bottled water from then on.
As a nice aside, the Chernobyl disaster actually only affected 5% of the nuclear core. 95% of its core remained stable. We'd be looking at potentially 17 total meltdowns as no one would be around to help stem the problem and shut the system down.
Makes you wonder if trying to get to the shelter is actually worth it...
Well, to be percise, the zombie attack survival scenario is more flawed than most of the others.
The reason?
Nuclear meltdown. If mankind disappeared or was alrgely taken out by the zombie menace, then no one would be around to look after the many nuclear reactors scattered around the UK (or the world). Now I read an article last year (in the New Scientist magazine - it was a great article on what would happen to Mother Earth if mankind just vanished overnight - in short we'd be forgotten very quickly and any trace of our civilisation would be pretty much 100% vanished within a very short amount of time). This article put nuclear meltdown of the reactors taking place about three days into mankinds disappearance.
As such in a 28 Days Later type affair we'd actually have about 3 days to find somewhere safe before mainland Britain experienced 17 Chernobyls!
Type your cut contents here.
MAP OF UK NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS
Maps of Global, Regional & National Nuclear Power Reactors (International Nuclear Safety Center Website)
Maps of Global, Regional & National Nuclear Power Reactors (International Nuclear Safety Center Website)
Now the problem with this is that the only really safe places will be the tunnels and fall out shelters. For those of us living in London many udnerground stations would usually provide some sort of cover from the initial fallout but these will more than likely be zombie-filled. Obviously barricading yourself in a high rise would usually be a good initial option against the zombie horde but exposes you to the fallout during its most dangerous time.
It's possible to try and get to one of the nuclear shelters scattered around London but most people won't have a clue where these are. There are, of course, hundreds of underground structures that one could utilise if you knew where they are located (Check out Subterranea Britannica for some pointers). Of course this does mean venturing out into the chaos, but it's either that or start glowing!
Obviously without the zombie menace you are, comparitively, better off as you will have less problems getting to underground shelters and picking up supplies, etc, en route. Remember you will have three or four days to gather as much as possible before things start going boom! This obviously will also affect all water supplies so you'll be living off bottled water from then on.
As a nice aside, the Chernobyl disaster actually only affected 5% of the nuclear core. 95% of its core remained stable. We'd be looking at potentially 17 total meltdowns as no one would be around to help stem the problem and shut the system down.
Makes you wonder if trying to get to the shelter is actually worth it...
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Comments
Chenobyl was a unique set of condition which are unlikely to be replicated all over the uk, just because the reactor have no management. Equally AIUI quite a number ( but not all ) of Uks reactors have a "negative temperature coefficient' - which will ensure they can't get into a runaway condition.
Unfortunately the Magnox series is positive tempco so can run away - so there will be some nuclear nastiness - but I not all of uks reactors.
Otoh , New Scientist tends to get this sort of thing right - but they have made embarrassing mistakes in the past.
It's almost been a year sicne I read it and, from a quick glance before I posted it, I don't think it mentions a spefici timeframe for meltdowns.
So we may have more time fighting the zombies before we need to find cover - if at all!
Just because a reactor is on the map, it doesn't mean it's active. Less than 5% of the UK's electricity comes from reactors these days; they're mainly used for processing nuclear waste.
Don't know if its true or not though.
Or you could just move to NZ. :D
Just be glad I don't have superpowers...
And then a back-up.
And also a back-up to the Back-Up.
You know it makes sense!
Evacuating to my mothers is always a viable option. Low population and plenty of natural resources. Also with the nuclear problem, is suitably out of the way.
Needs refining. At least I know several groups will attempt to rescue me because I've had enough medical training to be very useful.
"Food and water in a hospital would be easy to source and we would have a basement area to retreat to in case of emergencys."
I rather suspect that hospitals are likely to be the first overrun as all the bite victims are likely to be brought into A&E until people know whats going on... And then the rooms of the dying victims will be full of staff trying to save lives and ready to be bitten.
eh?
What about those 4 reactors in Normandy? What about all the other reactors accross the EU, Eastern Europe and Russia?
Sorry to sggest that the radioactive zombie is still a viable threat.
I'm more worried about the possible radioactive Cthulhu problem...
I can get as far as the roof - and have a pokey stick up there to stop zombies following me up but then I'm a bit stuck. Probably give it a couple of days up there and then throw myself off. Its the third storey so I'd probably die. Better that than zombied. Unless anyone has a helicopter - if you do let me know and I'll send you my address in the event of zombie catastrophe and you can save me from the roof if its not too much trouble. I'll start stashing tinned food and water up there.