Napa, CA (WFN) -- The zombie comedy, "Shaun of the Dead" hits theaters today (Sep. 24) but the creatures are not stretches of our imagination.

They may really exist, according to University of Sydney anthropologist Dr. Stephen Juan.

He says in places like Haiti, "zombification" - where one gets turned into a zombie - is a recognized form of capital punishment and Juan says it is done "... to punish someone when they think the death penalty is too much."

Zombies are given drugs such as a fish toxin or a "zombie cucumber", which is a toxic vegetable, that puts them in a death-like state. But as Juan points out, "they are not dead, they are drugged."

Juan says when people are fed these drugs, their behavior is similar to what we see of the walking dead in movies.

In his words, "Their eyes remain open, they walk slowly, their body stiffens. It's not far from an accurate portrayal."

Juan discusses zombies and other myths about the human body in his new book, "The Odd Body "(Harper Mass Market Paperbacks).

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