This Simulation Lets You Have Way Too Much Fun Spreading A Zombie Plague Across The USA
You would not survive.
Simulations that let you play with the end of the world are the only simulations worth knowing about. This one, from physics grads Matt Bierbaum and Alex Alemi, uses data from the most recent US Census to answer the question: if a zombie outbreak happened, how quickly would I be screwed?
The exact answer partially depends on the simulation’s adjustable variants, like how fast the zombies can walk and how likely they are to bite someone before getting killed, but in most scenarios the end comes much more quickly than anyone should be comfortable with. Look! I managed to fuck up the greater part of the Eastern seaboard in the time it takes the watch The Sopranos the whole way through.
The simulation does have real-world applications, especially in the field of epidemiology; the pair have published a paper detailing their findings and how they might be mirrored in real-life disease outbreaks. For everyone else, though, it’s just fun to watch.