Researchers determine the safest place to survive a zombie outbreak in the US

Researchers at Cornell University have conductive a study to determine the which regions in the U.S. would be safest during a zombie outbreak, The Washington Post reports.

Alex Alemi, a researcher and statistician with the group, has developed an interactive model of how a zombie outbreak could feasibly unfold. In this model, users can choose a location for the outbreak and watch as it spreads across the map. The map features levers which can be used to adjust the speed of the outbreak, including a "bite-to-kill" ratio and the option of fast and slow zombies.

While films and television often depict the outbreak spreading at break-neck speed, Alemi states it could feasibly take years before an infection reaches sparsely-populated areas.

"New York City would fall in a matter of days, but Ithaca, where I am — it would take weeks for the zombies to make their way up here," Alemi told The Washington Post. "It would be a situation where you're watching chaos on television, but where you are everything would remain unchanged."

Unfortunately, Alemi also believes that a zombie outbreak would eventually kill us all; However, he suggests short-term survival can still be possible by remaining as far away from cities as possible. He adds that even areas with comparatively smaller populations to major cities like those between San Francisco and Los Angeles would be too close in proximity. Instead, your best bet is likely the Nevada area or the Colorado Rockies.

"It's bad to be near any big city," Alemi said. "Just look at the population map. First, you'd benefit from the fact that it would be highly unlikely for the zombie outbreak to begin where you are, and then it would take a very long time for any zombies to get out there."

You can make your plans for the zombie apocalypse here.