A Sort Of Zombie

[cronus]

Can you be a sort of zombie? Say you are on a airplane destined to crash? On the way down you know you are dead 100%. Are you alive and dead on the way down? Do the gut bacteria take advantage of 'panic' by breeding faster? Does the biological clock go out of kilter as if you lack knowledge of time in this world?

[pErvinalia]

Only if you want to eat brains.

[cronus]

Only if you want to eat brains.

Researchers could test the idea out with animals being led to slaughter on a line when they can see the approaching doomz. See if the animal is merely in a panic, or life processes shut down?

[mistermack]

You can become paralyzed by fear I guess. Maybe related to the "play-dead" tactic that many animals use on occasion.

There's probably an advantage in playing dead when you are in danger. If you are being attacked by a herbivore, they might leave you when you no longer pose an apparent threat.And if it's a predator, they might get careless, thinking you're dead, and relax for a split second, giving you the chance to make a break for it.