7 Strange Ways Humans Act Like Vampires 7 Strange Ways Humans Act Like Vampires By Remy Melina | March 28, 2013 01:05pm ET MORE Credit: Andrey Kiselev | Dreamstime Pop Culture, Real Life In books, movies and television shows, vampires have sunk their fangs into pop culture's collective consciousness. While true, undead vampires do not exist, some diseases and disorders show themselves in ways that are similar to vampiric characteristics. From sunlight intolerance to an aversion to garlic and mirrors, here are six illnesses that, to some extent, cause people to act like vampires. 2 of 9 Aversion to garlic The fear of garlic, or alliumphobia, is a neurosis that causes people to become freaked out by the mere thought of the stinky plant . In clove form or sprinkled over a pizza, garlic will send alliumphobiacs running in the other direction. Just being in proximity of garlic is enough to trigger a severe panic attack or anxiety for a person suffering from this rare phobia.

The legend that vampires are repelled by garlic stems from its use as a way to ward off evil spirits in southern Slavic countries and Romania. It was believed that those who refused to eat garlic were vampires, and cloves of garlic were placed in the mouths of the deceased prior to burial to prevent them from turning into vampires, according to "In search of Dracula: the History of Dracula and Vampires," (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1994). 3 of 9 Biting mad Rabies, or hydrophobia, is a disease that causes people to display several vampire-like symptoms, including the desire to bite others. The rabies virus attacks the nervous system and can also cause oversensitivity to sunlight and to other visual stimuli, such as mirrors. The word rabies means "rage" or "madness" in Latin, and was so named because people who contract it often become delirious, aggressive and suffer from hallucinations. The disease can also affect portions of the brain that control sleep patterns, leading to insomnia, nocturnal sleeplessness and hypersexuality , behavior that shadows the image of a sinister Nosferatu creeping into a dreaming damsel's bed chamber in the middle of the night.

Bites from bats, which vampires are often depicted as turning into, are the most common source of a rabies infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. In fact, two strains of the rabies virus in several European countries can only be transmitted to humans by bats and are therefore known as bat rabies. 4 of 9 Credit: Scott David Patterson | Shuttershock Hatred of mirrors Although vampires are depicted as being invisible in mirrors, a real disases, Eisoptrophobia, also known as catoptrophobia, causes people to fear them. This can be brought on by a traumatic event, or formed as a result of deep-seated fears, such as seeing as seeing a horror movie involving mirrors as a child. For people with this disorder, the mere sight of a mirror can bring on an anxiety attack. Some sufferers of eisoptrophobia believe that looking into a mirror will summon the supernatural, and some think they are being watched through the mirror.

Others with the disorder can only stand to look at a mirror for a few seconds, and say that if they look at it for too long, they get the feeling that the person looking back at them is not really them at all, according to "An Excess of Phobias and Manias," (Senior Scribe Publications, 2003). Vampires' legendary distaste for mirrors traces back to European myths that they don't have a reflection because they have no soul. Because being unable to stand the sight of a mirror is also one the symptoms of rabies, some believe that this vampire myth originated during a rabies epidemic that took place in Europe in the 1700s. 5 of 9 A thirst for blood? In 1985, a scientist claimed to have found a disease that linked the myth of vampires to a very real genetic blood disorder called porphyria . People with porphyria experience the desire to drink human blood to alleviate their symptoms (the genetic disease causes abnormalities in a person's hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells), declared biochemist David Dolphin. His theory was later refuted and proven to be based on a misunderstanding of the disease.

However, one of the real symptoms of the rare disease is a sensitivity to sunlight, with blisters forming on the skin within several minutes of sun exposure. Another real symptom is red-colored urine, according to the Mayo Clinic, and may explain why historically, people may have suspected porphyria sufferers of drinking blood. 6 of 9 Credit: AP Photo "Count" Dracula Arithmomania is the obsessive need to count things, and has a little-known, but deeply rooted, presence in vampire tales. For centuries, it was believed that besides garlic and crosses, one fool-proof defense against vampires was math. To deter a vampire, one only had to throw a handful of rice or seeds and run away, as the vampire would be unable to resume the chase until he or she had counted every single grain. During the Middle Ages, people poured poppy seeds in the coffins of loved ones before burying them in holy ground, hoping that it would distract a vampire from biting the deceased, according to "Mindsamaze," (Hodgson Press, 2008).

This explains why Count von Count, the calculator-hating, cheerfully spooky vampire-like Muppet on "Sesame Street," is obsessed with numbers and counts anything that comes his way, sometimes resorting to counting his own fingers when there is nothing else around to count. While the character is more silly than scary on the children's show, every one of the Count's counting sessions are followed by a sinister crack of thunder and a flash of lightning. 7 of 9 Credit: Margaaret M. Stewart | shutterstock Flaunting fangs Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia is a rare genetic disorder that affects tooth development. It causes a person's teeth grow in abnormally, and at a later than average age. In some cases, many of the person's teeth are absent except for the canines, which in effect appear to be protruding, and the teeth that do grow in are pointed, according to the National Institutes of Health. Every human has canine teeth, the sharpest, pointiest teeth in the mouth that are used for biting food rather than chewing it, which is mostly the job of the back teeth.

While vampires have been depicted with eerily long fangs for centuries, it wasn't until the late 20th century that vampires began to be shown with retractable fangs. Fans of the show "True Blood" are familiar with a vampire's tendency to swiftly sprout fangs only when they are about to feed, while hardcore "Twilight" fans, or "Twihards," are aware of the fact that Stephenie Meyer chose to portray her vampires completely without fangs. 8 of 9 Scorched by sunlight An extremely rare genetic disorder, xeroderma pigmentosum, or XP, causes a person's DNA to be unable to effectively repair the damage caused by ultraviolet light. One in a million people have the disorder in the United States, according to the Xeroderma Pigmentosum Society (XPS). People with XP develop severe sunburns when exposed to even a small amount of sunlight. While the seriousness of the disorder varies, in extreme cases, all exposure to sunlight is strictly forbidden. When a person with XP is exposed to direct sunlight, their skin can blister and develop oozing, raw wounds on its surface.

Even some indoor lighting, such as incandescent light bulbs, emit UV rays and should be avoided, according to the XPS. Other symptoms of XP include a painful eye sensitivity to the sun, causing them to become irritated and appear bloodshot, as well as a glossy white thinning of the skin. Sorry, Twihards, none of XP's symptoms include sparkling in the sunlight like Edward Cullen. While Edward seems to be an unusual vampire due to his ability to handle sunlight, older versions of vampires, including John Polidori's 1819 short story "The Vampyre" and James Malcolm Rymer's "Varney the Vampire," published in 1845, were able to walk in sunlight without a problem. Traditionally, vampires are nocturnal creatures because it is easier for them to stalk human prey at night. Vampire | Uncyclopedia | Fandom powered by Wikia edit Identifying a Vampire There are several ways to identify a vampire: Disintegration when exposed to sun (Edward Cullen and company are not vampires, but body glitter-wearing evil minions of Stephenie Meyer). Fond of smelling underwear (this method of identification is largely frowned upon because of its applicability to rapists).

Fond of draining underage girls/boys of blood Fond of watching people sleep and licking their pillows (see above). Bad or non-existent sense of humor (most teachers and elderlies). Deformed nipples (see Edward Cullen in New Moon). Lack of interest in cheese & garlic. Bisexuality (the most accurate method of identification) Speaking a weird language that sounds like a mix of Italian and Russian . They frequently make a moaning sound that sounds like a cross between "ee" and "oo". They spell it "â". If you see this letter, run away! They call their language "Limba Română". Anyone whose last name ends in '-escu'. This is their ethnic surname suffix. If you know an '-escu', plan an escape root out of the neighborhood. edit Physiology Vampires (Homo sapiens homovorus or Haemo sexual) are an extinct anthropophagous subspecies of Homo sapiens. Since their extinction, they have been embedded in the mythology and folklore of various cultures. In folklore, they acquired numerous supernatural characteristics, being invincable, flying, and the most common is that they were re-animated corpses of human beings.

In modern times, vampires are the frequent subject of cinema and fiction. Their taxonomic name, Homo sapiens homovorus, is Latin for "human eating wise man." edit Overview The differences in external diagnostic features between humans and vampires were actually pretty subtle, both because vampires never lasted long enough to diverge greatly from the human baseline, and also because natural selection is going to promote superficial similarity. However, while virtually identical to modern humans in terms of gross physical morphology, vampires were radically divergent from humans on the biochemical, neurological, and soft-tissue levels. This limited significant physical changes to soft tissue and microstructures that do not fossilise. This is one of the reasons why it's so difficult to identify these creatures in the fossil record-the other reason being that they sat at the very apex of the food pyramid , which means that they were quite rare even at peak numbers. A typical Vampire A typical male vampire. Crazed look to inspire fear.

More gracile than Homo sapiens sapiens, gross physical divergence from baseline humans included a slight but distinct extension of the mandible, and of course of the slight elongation of canines, the classic "fangs" of the predatory grip-and-tear feeding mode (although this wasn't quite as pronounced as the popular mythology would have us believe). Vampires also tended to be taller and longer-limbed than humans. All of this was in service of an increasingly predatory lifestyle. A typical female vampire. They squint for dramatic effect. Vampire skin possessed a ghostly white pallor, but if they choose to stay among humans they tend to be tanned. This discoloration however, was not the result of anemia; in fact their blood volume was actually seven percent higher than that of humans. Instead their blood volume was redistributed away from the peripheral tissues and sequestered deep in the core. Sparkly vampires are a new, far weaker breed which is rightly vilified by their forebears. edit Soft-tissue They had capillary beds formed in the body core.

All humans have these, the digestive system is highly vascularized to facilitate nutrient transport from the intestine into the bloodstream , but the capillary meshes in a vampire's core were far more extensive than anything seen in humans. Tissue levels of adenosine triphosphate were elevated; ATP is the chemical battery that powers the cell, and this explains the abnormal strength and stamina that vampires displayed. The gastrointestinal tract was foreshortened and secreted a distinct range of enzymes more suited to a carnivorous diet. Since cannibalism carries with it a high risk of prionic infection, the vampire immune system displayed great resistance to prion diseases, as well as to a variety of helminth and anasakid parasites. edit Nervous system The central nervous system is where the difference between vampires and humans really showed up. The corpus callosum was twenty percent larger in vampires than in humans. This enabled high-speed broadband communication between hemispheres. Interneuron/glial density, cortical folding and lamination were far above those in a human, particularly in the visual cortex. Their motor neuron nerve axons were almost twice as thick as conventional human nerve axons. This gave vampires faster signal transmission and faster reflexes than humans.

A vampire could literally snatch a speck out of your eye before you had time to blink. A vampire's amygdala and visual cortex -- essentially, the pattern-matching wetware at the back of the head -- were seven and thirteen percent larger than what is found in humans, respectively. Synaptic interconnections between the anterior cingulate gyrus and the rest of the brain were much lower than normal, almost as if the core of the brain were being isolated from the neocortex. They also possessed some very unusual wiring in the retina. Human eyes contain whole arrays of specialized receptor cells; some fire only when they see light and shadow in conjunction, some fire only when they see horizontal lines-horizons and so on. In a vampire's case, the receptors that responded to horizontal lines were crosswired with those that responded to vertical ones. When both sets of receptors fired simultaneously in a very specific way - that is, when intersecting right angles occupied more than thirty degrees of visual arc-positive feedback generated a neuroelectrical overload in the visual cortex - the reaction could be quite dramatic. This what caused the famous adverse reaction to crosses, which consisted of violent convulsions which strongly resembled grand mal seizures.

Scientists commonly call this reaction the "crucifix glitch". Within the vampire eye there was an increased reflectivity of the retina, reminiscent of the tapetum lucidum found in the eyes of cats and other nocturnal predators. Vampires also had quadrochromatic vision; while we humans have only three types of cones in our eye vampires had four, the fourth being tuned to near-infrared. edit Blood diet Count Dooky the Vampire from Shrek the Third: Revenge of the Ogre. The reason vampires did not resort to non-human prey and evolved such radical adaptations to accommodate human meat into their diet is because they received something from humans that they couldn't from other species. What they received that is so essential to their paleolithic diet is PCDH-Y, a protein responsible for certain aspects of central nervous system development. Vampires possessed a genetic defect that resulted in the inability to synthesize the protein. Since this protein occurs only in other hominids, human prey was essential. Technically vampires were closer to what might be called obligate cannibals, eating human flesh rather than simply drinking the blood.

However, given that the only thing they really needed from humans was a certain type of protein, it's theoreticaly possible that a blood diet could meet that need, although they had to drink a large amount of blood. Perhaps this was a deliberate conservation strategy; drinking the blood leaves you with an anemic victim that can recover over time and serve as a future food source, while eating the flesh basically relegates your victim to single-serving status; and vampires could feed on other species to meet most of their dietary needs. They were much more intelligent than humans, intelligent enough to figure out the virtues of resource conservation. Because of modifications to the digestive system, PCDH-Y was obviously not broken down in the stomach as with other proteins, but instead was absorbed with its full effects into the central nervous system. Those modifications probably also included anticoagulants that stopped blood from curdling in the stomach, thereby preventing any emetic effects of ingesting blood.

edit The Vampire Mind Princess Peach, often believed to be a vampire Vampire grey matter was "underconnected" compared with human norms due to a relative lack of interstitial white matter; this forced isolated cortical modules to become self-contained and hypereffective, leading to pattern-matching and analytical skills far in excess of the human norm. Vampires were omnisavants; their groove extended to pretty much every logical and pattern-matching dimension known to man, and more besides. They were insanely smart by human standards. Vampires had to be smarter than people, because they hunted people for a living. Lions are smarter than gazelles for pretty much the same reason. By the same token, something else vampires had to be is clinically sociopathic. Among our own kind, a lack of conscience, of empathy for one's fellow human beings, is considered a pathology. Among vampires, though, sociopathy is an essential survival trait. If you felt empathy for your prey, you'd starve to death. Natural selection would have weeded "moral" vampires out of the gene pool relatively fast.

On the biological level, the sociopathy was caused by the poor connection of the anterior cingulate gyrus, as its ventral area is related to emotional cognition. edit Sexuality Despite the common perception of vampires as seductive casanovas, there is in fact a rising LGBT vampire community. One of the most well known portrayals of a gay vampire struggling to come to terms with his sexuality can be seen in the novel Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. The protagonist, Edward, desperately attempts to prove that he is straight, even going so far as to date and romance a whiny cover. Though Bella is depressed, mousy, and bland, Edward stays with her, claiming that he "loves her" and "can't live without her". Desperation and faulty attempts to display love and affection come through in the brilliant acting of Robert Pattinson, and Kristen Stewart's unbearable Bella does a magnificent job of stressing the need for Edward to step out of the closet. As the books progress, Edward finds himself confronted with the pressure to have intercourse with Bella. Desperate, he manages to spin bullshit about "true love", "preserving innocence", and "getting married".

Though skeptical at first, Bella eventually acquiesces, ensuring Edward the lifelong cover he thought he wanted. In recent years it has become a trend for men of all ages to profess their love of the book to confirm that they are in fact gay themselves. edit Reproduction As the classic mythology would have it, vampires reproduced by turning their victims into other vampires . Revisionists and horror writers have played around with the idea of vampirism as a kind of viral infection, an STD transmitted from saliva to blood. Biologically, of course, there are some problems with this idea: if you create another vampire every time you feed, it won't be long before all your prey have been turned into vampires, all of which will get very hungry very fast. However, the idea isn't as absurd as it may seem on the surface. Lateral gene transmission is not unheard of in nature; certain microbes are known to act as carriers for the DNA of other species, transmitting them from one host to another; and in any event, it appears that predator and prey share many of the same genes anyway; perhaps the only thing that needs to be transmitted is some kind of catalyst to activate them.

More conventionally, vampires and humans never achieved complete reproductive isolation in any event; there's no reason why interbreeding couldn't produce vampire offspring, especially if the critical vampire genes were heterozygously dominant. Many scientists have theorized that the genes responsible for vampirism are widely spread amongst the human population, simply dormant in most people. They lie within penis DNA, which are ancient genes that haven't expressed themselves in thousands of years. These scientists believe that in certain cases, some of these genes do express spontaneously; that psychopathy, autism and certain types of schizophrenia arise partly from the partial expression of these genes in a broken and rudimentary form. That sociopaths and savants show us one or two bits of the vampire subspecies. Of course, these harmful genes stay away from large black males named Will Smith, and Tiger Woods. edit Myths The crucifix glitch is most likely the source of the myth that vampires can't enter someone's house uninvited. It would be more accurate to say that vampires couldn't come into a house unless they kept their eyes closed; and since that would have made them extremely vulnerable to attack, they usually could only enter a house when the house's inhabitants didn't wish them ill.

Vampires had very sensitive night vision and their pupils didn't react as quickly as humans to changes in light intensity; they could be easily snowblinded. Although it couldn't cause them to burst into flame when struck by the sun's rays, but it might explain a general aversion to bright light. A crowd of peasants with torches most likely presented a real problem to the subspecies. It's possible that vampires themselves spread the myth of garlic repelling them, to engender a false sense of security among their prey. It's also possible that the whole story is pure fiction. A lot of other myths--that vampires can fly, or shapeshift, or that they don't reflect in mirrors--are likely to be mostly fiction as well. But it's worth remembering that these creatures were both faster and more intelligent than humans, and their superlative pattern-matching skills would have given them a real advantage in "blending in" via crypsis; it's quite likely that one might seem to disappear simply by fading into shadow, or adopting a posture that broke up its outline against the background.

Combine such a vanishing act with, for example, the flushing of some startled animal caught in its path, and a primitive human might think that some kind of shape-shift had occurred. Scary: 9 Vampire Legends That Are Actually True | Reader's Digest Scary: 9 Vampire Legends That Are Actually True Subscribe to Print: Get our Best Deal! Get a print subscription to Reader's Digest and instantly enjoy free digital access on any device. Full Name © 2017 Reader's Digest Association Inc. Terms & Conditions Your Privacy Rights Follow RD: Subscribe to Print: Subscribe at a GREAT price! Get a print subscription to Reader's Digest and instantly enjoy free digital access on any device. Full Name Our Websites: Reader's Digest | Taste of Home | The Family Handyman | Building & Construction Professionals Scary: 9 Vampire Legends That Are Actually True Hold onto your garlic: These vampire myths are actually rooted in fact, which makes them all the more creepy. By Reader's Digest Editors The Legend of the Blood Countess Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who lived from 1560 to 1614 in Hungary, was accused of vampire behavior: biting the flesh of victims and bathing in their blood as a beauty treatment.

The Legend of Dracula, "Son of the Dragon" Vlad of Walachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler, is most likely the root of several vampire legends, including Dracula. In addition to impaling enemies on stakes, Vlad would eat bread that had been dipped in his enemies’ blood. The Legend of the Ka iStockphoto/Thinkstock Egyptians also had their share of vampire lore and blood suckers. The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet was known for her taste for blood; and according to the Egyptian Book of the Dead, if a certain part of the soul called the ka didn’t receive adequate offerings, it left the tomb to drink blood. Content continues below ad The Legend of the Ch'iang Shih iStockphoto/Thinkstock In China, vampires had long, hooked claws and red eyes. They were known as ch’iang shih, which translates to “corpse-hopper.” The Legend of the Ekimmu iStockphoto/Thinkstock A Sumerian and Babylonian myth dating from 4,000 B.C. describes an ekimmu—a spirit that isn’t buried properly that returns to suck life from the living.

The Legend of the Rising Dead iStockphoto/Thinkstock Throughout northwest Europe, stones called dolmens were placed over graves to prevent the dead from rising. Content continues below ad The Legend of the Vampires of the Plague Hulton Archive/Getty Images During the 16th century, it was believed that vampires fed off the bodies of plague victims, and that female vampires spread the plague. Those suspected of being vampires were even buried with rocks wedged in their mouths. The Legend of the Vampire Coffin iStockphoto/Thinkstock Sometimes grave robbers would open a coffin and the corpse would move or sit up—a natural reaction that can be caused by decomposition. This may have led to the legend of vampires sleeping in coffins. The Legend of the Vampire in Medicine iStockphoto/Thinkstock Medical ailments can mimic symptoms of vampirism. For example, haematodipsia is a sexual thirst for blood, and hemeralopia is day blindness. Porphyria causes sensitivity to light and teeth that are stained reddish brown. 5.4K Shares Become more interesting every week! Get our Read Up newsletter Email address We will use your email address to send you this newsletter. For more information please read our privacy policy. Thanks!

You're on our list. And your life's about to get more interesting. Some people like to travel by train because it combines the slowness of a car with the cramped public exposure of an airplane. Dennis Miller I think my pilot was a little inexperienced. We were sitting on the runway, and he said, “OK, folks, we’re gonna be taking off in a just few—whoa! Here we go.” Kevin Nealon “I can’t wait until your vacation is over.” —Everyone following you on Instagram @kristencarney A man knocked on my door and asked for a donation toward the local swimming pool. So I gave him a glass of water. Comedian Greg Davies Just found the worst page in the entire dictionary. What I saw was disgraceful, disgusting, dishonest, and disingenuous. @sixthformpoet Client: We need you to log in to the YouTube and make all our company videos viral.

From clientsfromhell.net My cat just walked up to the paper shredder and said, “Teach me everything you know.” @NicCageMatch “Just because you can’t dance doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dance.” —Alcohol @yoyoha (Josh Hara) My parents didn’t want to move to Florida, but they turned 60 and that’s the law. —Jerry Seinfeld Q: What do you call an Amish guy with his hand in a horse’s mouth? A: A mechanic. Vampires | Marvel Database | Fandom powered by Wikia History Origin The race of vampires first appeared in the pre-cataclysmic era (before the sinking Atlantis and Lemuria ), circa 18,500 B.C., when the Atlantean cult of Darkholders used the power of the Chthon Scrolls in order to oppose King Kull , who had slain their leader, Thulsa Doom . The result was Varnae , one of their own raised as the world's first vampire. Varnae quickly slew the other Darkholders and used them to found the vampire race, with himself as Vampire Lord.

[2] Hyborian Age When Atlantis sank 500 years later after his creation, Varnae went into hibernation, emerging from time to time to confront threats such as in 10,000 B.C. when he battled against Conan , Red Sonja and Zula but they were able to fend them off. [3] 2000, B.C. In 2000, B.C., in the region known as Sumeria ; Varnae forced a mystic named Aamshed to create a ritual which would make the vampire lord into a god. However he could not complete the ritual as it must be done on his home land and Atlantis had sunk beneath the ocean. [4] Biblical Times Varnae revealed he witnessed Jesus Christ during the time he was alive. [2] [5] 1000, A.D. During the age of vikings; Varnae traveled to the new world and attacked a norse colony in North America turning the settlers into Vampires. A young girl escaped and prayed to the gods for help and Thor answered the call and battled the hordes of Vampires and eventually facing the first vampire himself.

He was able to drive off Varnae and destroyed the vampire settlers by directing sunlight at them leaving only the young girl alive. [6] 1459, A.D. In 1459, tired of his ages-long existence, Varnae chose Dracula as his successor as lord of Earth's vampires, and imparted much of his supernatural power to him by forcing Dracula to drink his blood. Varnae then committed suicide by exposing himself to direct sunlight. [2] 1591, A.D. In 1591, the young girl arrived at the English colony of Roanoke which will one day be part of Virginia . She was revealed to be a vampire and turned all the 121 settlers into vampires leaving only one message carved into a tree "Croatoan". [6] Modern Era Dracula retained this title in a nearly unbroken reign until Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Stephen Strange , uncovered a mystical spell called the Montesi Formula that would banish all vampires from this dimension. Ironically, this spell was found within the Darkhold, the same mystical text containing the spell used to create vampires in the first place.

Like most spells, the Montesi Formula contained a counter-spell, and within a few short years, vampires began to appear across the world once again. Dracula himself rose from the grave and reclaimed his title as Lord of the Vampires.[ citation needed ] Destruction The only known substances which could cause a vampire pain were silver and, to a lesser extent, unless it penetrated the vampire's heart, wood. The surest way to kill a vampire was to drive a wooden stake or a silver blade through his or her heart. The stake or blade prevented the heart from supplying ichor to the rest of the body. If the stake or blade was removed, however, even if the vampire's body had crumbled to dust, the vampire's mystical vitality would restore his or her body to the condition it had before the vampire was slain, and return him or her to vampiric "life." Beheading a vampire would also kill him or her. However, there were only three methods of making sure of destroying a vampire permanently. One was to expose the vampire to direct sunlight and then to scatter the ashes.

Another was to pierce the vampire's heart with wood or silver, sever his or her head, burn the head and body in separate places and scatter the two resulting piles of ash in separate locations. The third was mystically, most notably by using the incantation known as the Montesi Formula (after the monk who first realized its significance). Montesi created the incantation by studying fragmentary copies of the Darkhold. It was lost amid many other documents copied by various anonymous monks over the centuries. Research by various vampire hunters over the past few decades revealed its significance, and it was sought by both those hunters and by Dracula, who wished to destroy all copies of it. The incantation apparently canceled the mystic curse that allowed any vampire within earshot to exist, causing it to crumple to dust. The danger is that, as the Montesi Formula was created from black magic theory from the Darkhold, using it untrained (in the mystic arts) causes the user to lose his soul.[ citation needed ] At one point, a cult who worshiped the elder demon gods apparently fixated on Dracula as a recipient of their power.

Dracula gave them the fragments of the Darkhold he had discovered; the cultists (who were low level mystics) repeatedly recast the original spells that created the first vampires. This increased Draculas powers considerably, and he lost his vulnerably to sunlight and others. Dracula was able to take full control of their minds (as well as anyone around the world that Dracula had ever hypnotized in the past, at will).[ citation needed ] Doctor Strange (who at the time was in a great battle with Dracula) was aware of the Montesi Formula. He tracked down the Darkhold and using the original source material to study the spells that created vampires, Doctor Strange created a massive version of the Montesi Formula (backed by his power as Sorcerer Supreme) to wipe out all of the vampires in the Marvel Universe until they were restored by the Vampiric Verses .[ citation needed ] Known Vampires Classifications Vampire Sects The Vampire Sects are diverse as human religions and Vampires from different sects might have different characteristics of abilities: Kreiger Sect : Western European type warriors, one of the strongest sects. Claw Sect : Middle Eastern type warriors, rivals of the Krieger.

Mystikos Sect : American Vampires embraced the modem world. They are Businessmen, with skill at technology. Anchorite Sect : American rural outcasts who prefer to hide from humanity and live in peace, similar to the lifestyle of the Amish. Purebloods : Born as Vampires. Nosferati : Eastern European, similar to Count Orlock, their need for powerful blood sometimes drives them to attack other Vampires. Moksha Sect : Seers who gain their powers by feeding as little as possible. Siren Sect : All beautiful female Vampires with powers of seduction. Adze : African Vampires who are able to survive the usually instantaneous methods of Vampire destruction for ten minutes. Ancients : Italian Vampires with superior superhuman speed and healing factor compared to that of other Vampires. Yiki Onna : Japanese Vampires with the power to turn into ice storms rather than fog as most Vampires can. Jumlin : Native American Vampires. Sub-Species Huskie : Vampires who are brought back brain dead and are basically human husks. They only follow their base instinct and feed on small animals.

They will not rest until they have completed a task from their human life. Charniputra : Gargoyle like Vampires that reside in the Himalayas Aqueos : Atlantean ( Homo mermanus ) converted Vampires Tryks : A powerful, parasitic race that prefers the blood of other Vampires. Pseudo Vampires Baalists The followers of Ba'al exhibited many of the same properties as traditional vampires, but were not in fact true vampires. They wore false fangs and were not inhibited by ultraviolet radiation, but they did partake in the consumption of human blood. Ba'al bestowed power to his underlings, making them stronger, faster and more durable, but they did not possess characteristics that could be defined as superhuman. The Baalist vampires originate from the region known as Gehenna and have followed the edicts of Ba'al since about 13,000 BCE. [7] Level Classification Class-2 Vampires Morg was stated to be a "standard Class-2 Vampire", [8] without clear explanation of the classification. Also see the list of confirmed Class-2 Vampires . Powers and Abilities None known.

Abilities A vampire is a human being who has died but has been resurrected by specific supernatural means and possesses a variety of supernatural abilities and specific limitations, most notably to frequently ingest fresh blood in order to maintain their own existence. Vampires have often been referred to as "undead" throughout the centuries since, even when active, they were not truly alive in the same sense as ordinary human beings. Technically, they can be classified as actually being dead.[ citation needed ] Sustenance Vampires require the fresh blood of living beings, preferably the blood of humans, in order to sustain their physical existence and, usually, obtained it by biting their victims and draining their blood. The bite of a vampire transferred a very mysterious enzyme found only within the saliva of a vampire into the bloodstream of the victim. If the vampire drank enough blood to cause the death of the victim, this enzyme would trigger an unusual metabolic change within the victim's body, beginning with the production of an unusual green liquid referred to as ichor into the bloodstream.[ citation needed ] After roughly three days, there would be enough of this liquid in the victims body that it would begin to course through the victims veins in the same way their blood once did.

The victim then returned as a vampire and was capable of all the basic capabilities of ordinary humans, with the exception of being able to have children, plus a number of superhuman abilities. However, if the victim retained sufficient blood to survive the vampire's attack, he or she would begin to show signs of anemia because of the presence of the enzyme in his or her bloodstream. The victim would not die under such circumstances. Until a newly created vampire's body metabolized the enzyme, a process that might take as long as several months in some cases, he or she would be extremely weak and highly susceptible to hypnotic suggestions, verbally or through long range mental contact, by the vampire responsible for the attack. There was also a distinct possibility of the newly-turned vampire developing a perverse sexual attraction for the vampire responsible for the transformation.[ citation needed ] Note that a new vampire is not created unless the attacking vampire wishes to do so, or loses control and injects too much enzyme.[ citation needed ] Willpower The overall extent of a vampire's abilities depended upon the strength of the vampire's will.

Exceptional vampires with powerful wills, such as Dracula or Varnae, were capable of summoning and controlling thunderstorms, even though the mystical concentration required to do so left them extremely weak for a certain period of time. The vampire's willpower could also determine the extent to which he or she could master their craving for blood and retain the same personality they had in life. However, most people that became vampires quickly found themselves unable to resist the all consuming craving for blood. They quickly degenerated into cruel and animalistic hunters of ordinary human beings, even if these new vampires had been kind and sensitive people in their mortal lives.[ citation needed ] Summoning and Shape-shifting Vampires could summon and control certain creatures such as bats, wolves, and rats. Vampires could also transform themselves into bats, and in the case of some vampires, wolves, while retaining their human intelligence in these forms. Some vampires could even become human-sized bats.

Vampires could also transform themselves into mist at will, while still retaining their normal consciousnesses in that form.[ citation needed ] Mind control A vampire could make most human beings into his or her temporary slave if he or she could catch their gaze for a sufficient amount of time, usually only a matter of seconds. The exact length of time needed to mesmerize the victim depended on the strength of will of the vampire and that of his or her victim.[ citation needed ] Health Vampires were rendered immune to the ravages of disease and of aging. However, if deprived of blood for a lengthy period of time, a vampire would begin to show distinct signs of aging, such as his or her hair turning gray. Upon ingesting fresh blood, the vampire would revert to the age in which he or she had been at the time of death.[ citation needed ] In most cases, vampires were able to heal themselves from minor injuries within a very brief period of time. Some vampires, such as Count Dracula, could heal from severe burns or broken bones within the span of a few hours, where as most other vampires might require several days to heal the exact same injury.

Vampires were not able to regenerate missing organs or severed portions of their anatomy, with the exception of hair. Apart from periodic inconveniences, injuries like these would not critically impair a vampire's effectiveness. Because the ichor was similar in function to blood, poisons and other toxic substances that were circulated in its bloodstream would adversely affect a vampire, although no dosage was large enough to cause death.[ citation needed ] Average Strength level Most vampires possessed superhuman physical strength anywhere from 10 to 20 times greater than they possessed in their mortal lives. The vast majority of known and recorded vampires were capable of lifting from 1,000 lbs to 4,000 lbs, with only Count Dracula and his predecessor Varnae being known to lift more at 4 and 7 tons respectively due to their special stance as ruler of Earth's vampire race.[ citation needed ] Weaknesses Vampires had many limitations imposed upon their supernatural abilities, and even upon their very existence. Below are a listing of weaknesses common to supernatural vampires.[ citation needed ] Blood Consumption Vampires are regularly required to consume a few pints (litres) of blood every other night.

Failing to do so would cause the vampire to weaken and after an extended period without blood seemingly perish. A vampire's ability to metabolize blood and their frequency of feeding usually varies however depending on a number of factors: Length of time between feedings, damage or injury to the body, resurrection from a near death state, and excessive use of their supernatural abilities and strength.[ citation needed ] Native Soil Typically, vampires cannot travel more than 100 miles (160 km) from their land of birth, unless their bring at least one pound (500 g) of their native soil wherever they choose to sleep during the day.

For example, Dracula would typically have coffins with dirt from his native Transylvania shipped to his various hideouts all over Europe and the United States so that he would have a place to rest unharmed from the sun.[ citation needed ] However, in many instances vampires (including Dracula) have been depicted being able to travel to far off places and sleep in locations that do not have their native lands earth on hand.[ citation needed ] What happens to a vampire who does not do this remains unknown, but given the instances that a vampire has slept without being around soil from their native land suggests that this is not a lethal weakness.[ citation needed ] Sunlight A vampire's greatest weakness is sunlight, due to their altered metabolism, vampires were unable to withstand direct sunlight. Sunlight, somehow caused the ichor to congeal within the vampire's veins and the skin to rapidly decay. Direct exposure to sunlight caused the vampire to dehydrate completely and turn to powder,[ citation needed ] or even explode in certain cases. [9] Some vampires, such as Dracula have been able to reform their bodies following being turned to powder from the sun, while others have been completely obliterated from contact with the sun.

The conditions in which a vampire can come back from the dead may be particular to one who is rightfully the lord of all vampires.[ citation needed ] Religious Symbols Vampires also had an aversion to any religious symbol (such as a crucifix/cross (including objects assembled into a cross, like wood branches), [10] Star of David, [10] or holy water) [10] [11] wielded or placed by anyone who believes in the religious significance of the symbol (for example a cross held by a hebrew had no effect).

[10] The size of the symbol was not a consideration on its ability to repel vampires, only the strength of belief: for example, a believing Christian wielding a small cross could hold a vampire at bay with [10] it and even sear the vampire's flesh simply by touching him or her with it.[ citation needed ] However, the deity must be one that was believed in at the time of the vampire's original death; a cross had no effect on Varnae, for example, since he died approximately 16,000 years before the crucifixion.[ citation needed ] Another consideration is if the vampire in question worshiped the faith whose religious symbol is being used against them. For example, when David Eshocl used the Star of David against Dracula, Dracula was weakened by its sight, but stated that because he followed Christianity and not Judaism before becoming a vampire, the Star had a lesser effect on him. [12] On another occasion, he was hurt by a silver Star of David (it is unknown if it was the silver or the star who impacted him). [10] On Earth-1610 , a cross wield by Blade against a Jewish Vampire was completely ineffective.

[13] Further, there may be an element of belief by proxy or a vampires own belief that a symbol may harm them, as there have been instances where a crucifix has been used by someone who is not holding the item. For example, Quincy Harker [14] and Elainne Turac [15] have both utilized weapons that would project the symbol of the cross against Dracula while not actually holding the religious symbol. Further, Quincy's faithful dog Saint, has a collar lined with silver crosses that were able to harm Dracula. [14] It's highly improbably that Saint understands the symbolism let alone having faith in Christianity, however either Quincy's faith, or Dracula's belief that the crosses could harm him caused the vampire lord pain.[ citation needed ] Lastly, a religious symbol can lose its power over a vampire if the vampire is capable of making the believer's faith falter. In such situations, the strength of the religious symbol's ability to repel a vampire would weaken.[ citation needed ] Invitations Only Vampires also had a mystical aversion to entering any human dwelling place to which they were not verbally invited. Once invited, they could enter the place at any time thereafter.

This appears to only be the case with personal dwellings, as vampires have been seen entering public buildings without the need of being invited inside.[ citation needed ] Impaling the Heart Another weakness of vampires is to impale them through the heart, causing them to eventually decompose into a skeleton. Originally, it was thought that a wooden stake would be the only means of doing so; however, advancement in vampire hunting techniques have indicated that any object that can break through a vampire's chest and pierce the heart is sufficient in killing a vampire.[ citation needed ] For example, Blade learned that wooden daggers would prove to be just as effective, [16] while Frank Drake and Rachel van Helsing have used wooden bullets, [17] Quincy Harker even defeated Dracula once by driving one of the spokes of his own wheelchair into Dracula's heart. [18] However, this does not necessarily destroy a vampire, as their remains can be reanimated if the stake (or other object) is removed. [19] [20] [21] Garlic The scent of garlic can sap the strength of a vampire. It has been used as a rope to bind vampires, sapping their strength sufficiently to prevent them from breaking the bonds.

Garlic is not lethal to vampires, but it can make them more vulnerable to other means of attack.[ citation needed ] Magic Magic wielders such as Doctor Strange and Topaz have been able to harm vampires with magic, and some spells have the effect to kill a vampire. The most lethal spell is the Montesi Formula is a spell from the Book of Darkhold which can destroy all vampires. Doctor Strange invoked the spell which destroyed all vampires on Earth (save Hannibal King , who he and his allies were able to restore to human life), but when the spell was broken all the vampires that were destroyed were restored to life.[ citation needed ] Radioactive Blood Radioactive blood has proved harmful to Vampires that consume it. [22] Also, individuals with it that have been bitten have reverted back to normal once the radiation kills the enzymes responsible for their transformation. [23] On Earth-12041 , in the case of gamma radiation, the individual returns to normal when the blood cells super heat, burning the Vampire cells like micro suns. A sanitized sample of Hulk's blood was used to cure the Black Widow when she was on the early states of the transformation.

[22] Every cell of a Majesdanian can absorb solar radiation. If a vampire drinks the blood of a fully-powered Majesdanian, this is the equivalent of consuming liquid sunlight, turning the vampire to ash. It is unknown what would happen if a Majesdanian were to be fed upon after completely draining their solar reserves at night. [24] Other Limitations Ultimate Universe ( Earth-1610 ) On Earth-1610 , the Vampires are allegedly people infected with Porphyria , a virus causing a disorder of the hemoglobin. [13] Although, they have powers like other universes Vampires, and are sensible to the same weaknesses. [13] [11] Blade Movie Universe ( Earth-26320 ) In the Blade movie universe, vampires (Homines nocturnae) are a sub-offshoot of humanity with their progenitor being the entity Dracula (Drake, Dagon), a Sumerian who was worshiped as a god.

His progeny are the Pure-Bloods, while those who are bitten by Dracula or his descendants are byproducts of vampirism.[ citation needed ] Vampirism is a virus that can be transmitted through the saliva of the vampire through incisions in the neck made by their fangs when feeding. Once infected it takes approximately 72 hours for the virus to mutate , transforming them into a Vampire.[ citation needed ] A Vampire feeds on the blood of humans in order to replenish their hemoglobin, which is not produced in their body. Vampires can eat human food, but it has little to no nutritional value. Along with "The Thirst", vampirism also endows someone with an improved metabolism and biological functions that grant it a much increased longevity, superhuman physical and mental capabilities, and the ability to recover from injury in a relatively short amount of time, all of which are directly granted via new specialized organs.[ citation needed ] The vampires have their own language, which all can speak.

Though most vampires shown in the films and series are bilingual, able to speak both the English and vampire languages, some are only capable of speaking the vampire language.[ citation needed ] Vampires are also much stronger and faster than humans, displaying impressive strength to jump and leap great distances and deliver blows and strikes that can knock a full grown man across a room and moving fast enough to side-step bullets. Their pounces and throws can make concrete crack. They possess impressive physical resilience, shrugging off injuries that would kill a normal human, with the wound only slowing them down. Injuries they receive recover quickly, taking less time than it would for humans or even regenerating lost body parts, a process which is sped up by the consumption of blood.[ citation needed ] Vampires can perform amazing feats of superhuman agility. Vampire senses are also heightened to a very levels. Vampires can perceive things in the ultraviolet spectrum. Depending on what Tribe they come from, Vampires will possess specific strengths and drawbacks, in addition to their inherent abilities.

These vampires, especially the Reapers, have also been shown to be able to scale almost any surface, in the same manner as spiders.[ citation needed ] All vampires share common superhuman abilities regardless of whether they were born a vampire, or were once human and were subsequently turned into a vampire. The only exceptions are vampire offshoots such as half-vampires (Daywalkers) and those who are carriers of the Reaper strain. Vampirism: Vampirism is the physiological act of becoming and/or turning another human being into a vampire. Despite its roots in European folklore, vampirism exists in nature, and there are many such creatures who are actually born as vampires. Pathologically, vampirism is likened to a virus, carried in the saliva of predators. The vampire enzyme is carried through a victim's bloodstream and within seventy-two hours, mutates the subject's physiology, creating new parasitic organs. It has been described as "cancer with a purpose". Immortality: Vampires are immortal creatures whose bodies cease to physically age beyond a certain point. Pure blood vampires will age into adulthood, while turned vampires maintain the physical form they had when they were still human.

Theoretically, a vampire can live forever providing that it is not destroyed. Protractile Fangs/Claws: Vampires possess adapted musculature around the canine teeth that can extend these to become fangs. Similarly, they can also extend their fingernails to claw-like proportions. Superhuman Strength: Most vampires possess superhuman physical strength anywhere from 10 to 20 times greater than they possessed in their mortal lives. The vast majority of known and recorded vampires are capable of lifting from 1,000 lbs to 4,000 lbs. A vampire's enhanced strength also enables them to perform other superhuman feats such as leaping great distances. Supplementing their strength, vampires are naturally heartier than normal humans and can withstand severe physical exertion with no ill effects. It is unknown if vampire strength levels differ between pure bloods and turned vampires. Superhuman Durability: With the exception of certain restrictions, vampires are essentially invulnerable to most forms of bodily harm, including the effects of disease, and the natural cellular mitosis that comes with aging. Vampires are not living creatures, and as such, they do not require oxygen to breathe.

Vampires can exist without undue stress in oxygen free environments such as being submerged under water or buried beneath the earth. Excessive force will cause physical damage to a vampire, but their bodies will regenerate damaged tissue providing they can supplement themselves with regular supplies of blood. Superhuman Reflexes: A vampire's reflexes, agility and reaction time are many times greater than a normal human being. At maximum optimal capacity, a vampire can move more quickly than the human eye can perceive. Weaknesses Hematophagia: Vampires require the consumption of human blood for nourishment and to maintain their existence. The required dosage of blood per vampire depends upon their overall strength and vitality, though most vampires need to feed at least once per evening. Older, more powerful vampires will sometimes require more blood than lesser vampires in order to maintain their health. The most common form of extraction is by biting a human victim upon the neck, usually on the jugular vein where the blood is freshest. Some vampires keep supplies of stored blood at secret locations called "blood banks". This practice is more common amongst turned vampires and rarely employed by natural vampires, who prefer to feed on live prey. Failure to consume human blood at regular intervals may produce a variety of effects.

Vampires may suffer a loss of vitality and cohesion and they will find it more difficult to maintain a human mien. If enough time has passed without nourishment, a vampire may enter a "blood frenzy" wherein they will act on primal instinct and take what they need from the closest available source, regardless of the consequences. Ultraviolet Radiation: The vampire's greatest enemy is the power of the sun. Minimal exposure is known to cause great discomfort, even pain, but direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation is instantly fatal. Vampires are at their most vulnerable during daylight hours, and must sequester themselves in environments completely cut off from all natural light sources. When exposed to direct UV radiation, a vampire's body will blister, burn and disintegrate into ash within seconds. Some vampires, such as Deacon Frost, have been known to apply a special protective ointment to their skin, which will enable them to survive minimal exposure, but even this is hardly considered a reliable alternative and most vampires know better than to take any undue risks. Artificial UV radiation is just as deadly to a vampire as natural sunlight.

The vampire hunter known as Blade has been known to employ various UV gadgets in his quest to destroy all vampires including, UV lamps, UV target scopes and UV flashbang grenades. Silver: Silver nitrate is extremely deadly to a vampire. Bladed weapons forged from silver are more likely to destroy a vampire than conventional ones. If ingested, a vampire's body will convulse wildly and disintegrate within moments. Silver nitrate combined with garlic extract produces a sort of "vampire mace" that, when sprayed, will cause a vampire's body to quickly corrode. Garlic: Though unconventional, garlic is a useful tool against a vampire. A vampire who is tricked into consuming garlic extract will suffer severe pain and will be forced to flee so that he or she may recover. Concentrated doses of garlic extract, mixed with silver nitrate yields a deadly corrosive that will destroy a vampire in seconds. This chemical compound can be weaponized and used in impact grenades or aerosols. EDTA: Short for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA is an anti-coagulant that reacts explosively to vampire physiology.

Like silver nitrate and garlic extract, EDTA can be weaponized and used as a reliable offensive measure against vampires. Habitat Representatives: Count Dracula , Baron Blood , Lilith , Varnae , Hannibal King , see Known Vampires Notes Only true vampires possessed the listed vulnerabilities, since their supernatural nature originated within the pages of the Darkhold. Individuals such as the vigilante Michael Morbius , often referred to as "The Living Vampire", and the undead mercenary known as Bloodscream were immune to them since they're referred to as pseudo-vampires. They possess many vampiric qualities, including appearance and many similar superhuman abilities, but have none of the special vulnerabilities because the origins of these abilities had nothing to do with the magic found within the Darkhold. The vampires in the Blade movie series, and TV Series , are very different from the vampires in traditional Marvel Universe, considering they are based on semi-scientific premises, based around a virus, and how this virus has mutated the infected into another species of humanoid. The progenitor of the vampire race is Drake, AKA Dracula, as stated in Blade: Trinity .

Most of his descendants can be grouped into two classes; the "purebloods", those who were born a vampire, and the "turned", who began life as human, but were later turned by infection from a vampire's bite. Also depicted was a rare anomaly where a vampire became a ghoulish being without any regenerative capability, and a mutated albino off-shoot race known as the reapers . Trivia Doctor Nemesis stated that he could cure Vampirism with ten years and a billion dollars in funds. [9]

Question: Vampires are averse to what common food product?
Answer: Garlic