The top ten Vampire myths

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The Top Ten Vampire Myths

Most vampire myths come to us from the Dark Ages, when science was in its infancy and people looked to religion or superstition to explain the world around them. While many vampire myths have their basis in Christian orthodoxy, others represent imaginative interpretations of actual vampire behavior.

 

Vampires sleep in coffins

Source: This myth probably arose from gravediggers and others who observed vampires emerging from coffins and crypts.

Truth: If a vampire did spend the night in a coffin, it probably had nothing to do with sleeping preference. In the old days, many victims of vampire bites were interred while still in a vampiric coma. The truth is, vampires will sleep wherever they feel safe.

 

Garlic repels vampires

Source: Most likely based on observation.

Fact: Vampires have sensitive noses and can momentarily be driven off by pungent odors. However, this method of deterrence is unreliable and certainly won't work on an experienced vampire.

 

Crosses repel vampires

Source: Christian religion.

Fact: Crosses have no effect on vampires.

 

 

Vampires are killed by driving a stake through their heart

Source: Christian religion.

Fact: Because their blood is circulated by skeletal muscles, vampires can easily survive injuries to the heart.

 

 

Vampires burst into flames upon exposure to sunlight

Source: Most likely based on observations of a vampire's extreme reaction to sunlight

Fact: Sunlight renders vampires, with their hyperdilated irises, blind. It also causes neural pathways to fire randomly in the vampire brain, creating an extreme epileptic reaction. As dramatic as this reaction may appear, it will not be enough to start a fire.

 

Holy water burns the skin and flesh of vampires

Source: Christian religion.

Fact: Holy water, or any water for that matter, has little effect on vampires (although vampires can be drowned).

 

Vampires prey on virginal women

Source: A reflection of Victorian-era fears over the sexual awakening of young women.

Fact: While vampires have a stated preference for the taste of young blood, they are not particular as to which gender provides it.

 

Vampires can fly

Source: Observation of leaping vampires; association of vampires with bats.

Fact: While they do possess extraordinary leaping ability (vampires have been observed leaping over fences 20 feet high), vampires cannot fly.

 

Vampires turn into bats

Source: Association of vampires with bats.

Fact: No, vampires cannot turn into bats.

 

Vampires are not visible in mirrors

Source: Christian religion. It was thought that a vampire, or any creature lacking a soul, would not produce a reflection in a mirror.

Fact: Vampires are visible in mirrors, although interestingly enough, they are often quite uncomfortable with their own reflections.

[speznats]

okay ill give you the facts as well hold on

[Willieh]

*makes fart noise*

 

I just came up with a better discussion!

 

(jk)

 

I don't understand what the discussion is supposed to be.... They are ... cool... I guess?

[speznats]

The Science of Vampires

 

Part I

 

In 1616, Italian scientist Ludovico Fatinelli published his Treatise on Vampires, in which he speculated that vampirism was caused by a microscopic pathogen. He was burned at the stake for heresy. Fortunately, science plowed ahead, undeterred. The information included in this section is the result of the work of countless dedicated men and women.

The Virus

 

 

HVV source:

the bat flea

Xenopsylla cheopsis

 

HVV carrier:

Vampire bat

The source of vampirism is the Human Vampiric Virus (HVV). Like Rabies, HVV belongs to the order Mononegavirales, viruses with a nonsegmented, negative-stranded RNA genome. Viruses in this group have a distinct bullet shape. The virus' natural host is a flea commonly found on cave-dwelling bats, especially the vampire bat. In the most common scenario, a bat which has been bitten by the flea passes the virus on to livestock and humans through a bite.

While in theory HVV infection is possible through any exchange of bodily fluids, transmission occurs through the bite of an infected person in virtually every case.

---

coming soon part II

---

The Science of Vampires - Part II

 

Vampire Biology

 

A person who comes out of a vampiric coma fully transformed will have undergone a number of major physiological changes affecting the various systems of the body. The information included below is only an overview; for a more detailed account, try two classic texts: Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Vampire and Vesalius' Five Books on the Structure of the Vampire Body.

Brain/Nervous System

A vampire's nervous system is similar to humans and has proven to be their "achilles heel." Injuries to the spinal cord and brain can devastating for vampires. While a vampire's spinal cord and nerves work as before transformation, a number of changes take place in the brain, and that altered brain chemistry goes a long way toward understanding vampire behavior.

 

Normal brain (left) shows serotonin activity;

vampire brain (right) shows none

serotonin: vampires have much lower levels of this neurotransmitter. In humans, low levels of serotonin trigger aggression and risky behavior. A study of murderers on death row revealed low levels of serotonin in their brains.

dopamine: another neurotransmitter, dopamine induces feelings of well-being. In vampires, it is released during feeding and has a narcotic-like effect. Neural pathways activated in vampires during feeding are much like those found in addicts when using drugs.

circadian rhythms chemical changes in the brain that help us "rise and shine" with the morning light are reversed in vampires.

Sense Organs

Powerful sense organs gave vampires an advantage both in hunting and eluding capture. Sneaking up on them virtually impossible, as they are aware of your presence long before you are aware of theirs.

 

 

Normal eye (left); Vampire eye (right)

sight: in vampires, the iris in each eye becomes hyperdilated, giving them what appear to be black eyes. While this iris dilation gives vampires excellent night vision, it renders them effectively blind in daylight. In addition, vampires suffer inflammation of the sclera, making the whites of their eyes appear red.

smell/hearing: both senses are extremely acute, as vampires have double the receptor cells in their noses and ears compared to humans. In fact, vampires usually smell or hear a person coming long before they see one.

 

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Hair, skin, teeth, fingernails

Part of the terror of encountering a vampire stems from dramatic changes to their outer appearance. Some of these changes are functional, while others remain a mystery.

 

The upper (l) and lower ® eyeteeth

experience rapid growth

Teeth: during vampiric coma, the upper and lower eyeteeth experience growth. Additional enamel is deposited on the crown of the tooth. Vampires will file the teeth to make them sharper for easier feeding.

Hair: vampires lose all their bodily hair within ten years of transformation (except for the tiny hairs in their ears, known as cilia).

Skin: a newly-transformed vampire has a sickly, pale yellow skin tone that turns to blue over the next few days. In time, the skin becomes more and more translucent, and a fine network of veins become visible under the skin.

Fingernails: vampire fingernails thicken and grow at a rapid rate. Vampires will file their nails to a point, which helps them in grabbing victims.

Circulatory System

The most profound differences between humans and vampires are found in the circulatory system. These differences enable vampires to survive massive trauma that would kill a human being.

Blood: vampire blood is called ichor (pr. ik-er). Modifications to hemoglobin in the blood cells makes vampire blood appear black.

the Heart: vampire blood is pumped via the contraction of skeletal muscle rather than the heart, which eventually atrophies from disuse.

adrenaline: this "emergency hormone," which normally kicks in during "fight or flight" situations, is found in consistently large amounts in vampire blood. The presence of adrenaline, along with changes in muscle, bone and connective tissue, account for vampire's extraordinary strength, speed and aggressiveness.

 

Seen through night vision,

a vampire attacks its prey

Body Temperature

A vampire's core body temperature is only about 60 degrees, compared to over 98 degrees for humans. This marked difference proved to be a great help for modern vampire fighters, as it made vampires easily distinguishable from humans when viewed through heat-sensitive infrared imagery (note the difference between the vampire and human in the picture at right).

Muscular/Skeletal System

Adaptations in their skeletal and muscular systems give vampires significant advantages over humans.

Muscles/Connective Tissue: about 90% of vampire muscles are of the fast-twitch variety (compared to 50% for the average human). Fast-twitch muscles enable short bursts of maximal force, ideal when hunting prey. Also, vampire ligaments and tendons thicken in response to the workload imposed upon them by the muscles.

Skeletal system: vampire bones thicken, an adaptation necessary to support their newly-powerful muscles.

Aging and Life Expectancy

While no vampire on record has ever died of natural causes, vampires do undergo an aging process, just not in the same way as humans. Vampires do not age on a molecular/genetic level, but their life of hunting and eluding capture creates tremendous wear and tear in the form of injuries to bones and tissue.

 

 

A 125-year old vampire

photographed in Spain, 1901

Note the curved spine and

lack of hair

Because they presented such a danger to society, most vampires were destroyed long before the outer limits of their life span were determined. Ancient history offers some clues, however. In Ancient China, there was said to be one vampire in the emperor's court through the entire (eastern) Zhou Dynasty, which would put his age at 550. More accurate modern records have certified vampires of over 200 years old.

 

Contrary to the opinions of many theologians, vampiric longevity is not the result of some pact with the devil, but rather an ability to ward off the DNA damage that occurs during cell division in normal humans. Specifically, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes known as telomers get chewed up over time in humans, but not in vampires.

 

Though their DNA may have the ability to resist aging, a vampire's appearance will change dramatically over time. Vampires lose all of their hair within 10 years of transformation. Over time, a vampire's fat stores shrink away and its skin becomes thinner and more transparent, giving it a withered, dried appearance. Aging also leaves vampires with a pronounced curvature of the spine.

 

Despite their rather feeble appearance, older vampires are still extremely powerful and agile. Many a vampire hunter has made the mistake of underestimating them.

[Buffer]

umm i forgot the discussion my self.............. there doesn't appear to be one...........its just some fun myth things i got on a site i thought I'd share it with every one

[chaos_demon]

What about the one where they have to count grains of sand/rice if its on a doorstep or windowsill, and don't forget the whole mist thing...and yes vampires can fly these days...its called a flying license and a plane :) and no sunlight really does not have any effect them its just that it look like it does particularly due to the effect the sun has on albino(lack of pigment) skin.

[Buffer]

you know speznats that whole thing seems to be in the opinion of a a vampire hunter...........

[speznats]

.... i admit nothing........

[Pikachu]

lol wow what explinations

are vampires even REAL?

or are they just deformed people?

[Buffer]

lol wow what explinations

are vampires even REAL?

or are they just deformed people?

 

i don't see why vampires can't be real.....................

 

Bigfoot is.......................

 

vampire are just elusive..........

[Guest KAJN]

Well there were sightings in Philippines but I don't really know.

[chaos demon is back. O.O]

[Pikachu]

who said bigfoot is?

it's fake, as said in the news.....hoax?

....

[Guest JoshIcy]

Eh, I see vampirism as a condition similar to OCD. Except its the craving of blood and rather nasty skin that is extremely reactive to sunlight...

 

Either way, I did enjoy reading that ^_^

[Buffer]

I did enjoy reading that ^_^

 

I did too Mr. Hawaiian vampire ^_^

 

or was that meti......................i often confuse you two..............

[Guest JoshIcy]

I did enjoy reading that ^_^

 

I did too Mr. Hawaiian vampire ^_^

 

or was that meti......................i often confuse you two..............

 

lol check MSN? xD I am the Hawaiian Vampire. It was a name given to me because for a hawaiian I am very pale ._.

[Buffer]

I did enjoy reading that ^_^

 

I did too Mr. Hawaiian vampire ^_^

 

or was that meti......................i often confuse you two..............

 

lol check MSN? xD I am the Hawaiian Vampire. It was a name given to me because for a hawaiian I am very pale ._.

 

ok i checked and your right but.................i still think you and meti are similar.............. your personality's maybe?.......................i don't know why......

[Pikachu]

their way of typing XD

but everyone knows mine......with a XD....XD

[Buffer]

their way of typing XD

but everyone knows mine......with a XD....XD

 

plausible but lets get back on topic what did you think of these?

[Purple Dinosaur]

Vampires. Yeah, You've gotta look out for those.

[Mr. Best Male 2008]

You forgot the myth in which they can morph into a wolf.

 

 

SHAME ON YOU.

[Black Rose Phoenix®]

Buffer; Where the hell did you hear that there prey is a woman virgin?O.o

 

Also, to those that think Dracula is just a vampire, your an idiot (no offence), he was a real person.

[speznats]

pikachu are you call a vampire hunter a LIER HOW DARE YOU

 

o crap i've said to much

 

(i am not kiding here)

[Buffer]

Buffer; Where the hell did you hear that there prey is a woman virgin?O.o

 

Also' date=' to those that think Dracula is just a vampire, your an idiot (no offence), he was a real person.[/color']

 

yes Dracula is ....something dracul..........nicked named the impaler live in Romania invited pesents to his castle then impaled them with spears to walls wile he ate

 

and the virgin woman thing this is all off a website and i though I'd share it with people

[speznats]

is it www.fvza.org

my grand father (the first of our family to imagrate to America)

worked at the santa rosa institute

the hole thing scares me

imagane the movie "resident evil" expect with less security

what if HZV or HVV or even HLV got out

it would be a night mare

[Mr. Best Male 2008]

Buffer; Where the hell did you hear that there prey is a woman virgin?O.o

 

Also' date=' to those that think Dracula is just a vampire, your an idiot (no offence), he was a real person.[/color']

 

yes Dracula is ....something dracul..........nicked named the impaler live in Romania invited pesents to his castle then impaled them with spears to walls wile he ate

 

and the virgin woman thing this is all off a website and i though I'd share it with people

 

 

You forgot the Vampire with in which they can morph into teh wolffy.