I originally devised the experiment at college back in the sixties, in hindsight a golden age for this line of study. Unfortunately it took half a century for advances in medical science to make it possible. Well, the science took forty years and a further ten was spent struggling through an absurd jungle of red tape. For months at a time we inched forward, machetes swinging back and forth.
It has been claimed by the liberal press that the experiment was only allowed to go ahead due to a series of misunderstandings about what I had coined the 'Zombie Dilemna'. It's claimed that my representations to the various committees were misleading, implying that the term was some kind of metaphor. I can assure readers that I was always clear that it was to be taken literally.
For 25 volunteering couples a scenario was engineered whereby one or the other was bitten by a carrier of the ATNL virus (the 'zombie'). Participants were aware that any bitten would inevitably contract the virus (become a 'zombie'). This creates the Zombie Dilemna for the unbitten: Should they allow the partner to become a zombie or use the single bullet provided to prevent this from happening?
As has been widely publicized, results remain inconclusive. Of the first five subjects, three chose to allow their partner to contract the virus. Number six was disrupted when a junior technician ignored protocol and re-entered the test area.
It is now believed that the situation has been brought under the control of the authorities and we hope to continue with the study in the new year.
Dr. Daniel Zredren
New Scientist
April 2012
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