Flyer

Issue date: 3/25/05 Section: Tempo

Media Credit: google.com Body playing chess

Thousands of people a day agree that waiting in intimidating lines to get a view of the unseen is worth while. The "Body Worlds" exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry gives people a glimpse at their own anatomy in a very real and new way, for only nine dollars. From nerve endings to brain tumors, every part of the human body can be seen at this revolutionary exhibit.

It is said at the bodyworlds.com website, that Dr. Gunther von Hagens began his studies in 1965 at the University of Jena.

It wasn't until 1977 when von Hagens invented his plastination process. Currently he has just opened up his "Body Worlds" exhibit in California since his first exhibit continues to be a huge success. His exhibits have been the most visited exhibits in the world to date, and have only been open since 1997.

Von Hagens created a process to preserve bodies after death for a limitless amount of time. His process is called plastination. According to the Museum of Science and Industry's website, plastination is basically a process that uses a vacuum chamber that removes all bodily fluids and replaces them with a polymer. The polymers used are dry and odorless, and retain their natural structure, as well as being identical to their pre-preservations state down to the microscopic level. This made the models look as though they had just been dissected, without the faintest sight of decay.

With this modern method of preserving bodies, education can be taken to a whole new level. Visitors of all ages can experience anatomy and physiology in a way that has not been experienced before. Visitors can also learn about diseases that occur in the body, and what they look like. There are smokers' lungs, brain hemorrhages and tumors. This way, viewers are able to see in real life the effects and consequences of their well being by decisions they are making now. Not only are their humans in this exhibit, animals can be found there as well. Two men riding a horse are at the center of the attraction. Not only does the viewer get to learn about his or her own anatomy and physiology, but about other animals as well.

There is also a separate room of the exhibit that is filled with fetuses. They range from four weeks to eight months. Visitors can observe the growth of these fetuses. There is also a woman plasticate in the room and is cut open to reveal her eight-month unborn child. This part of the exhibit shows the anatomical changes a woman goes through during pregnancy.

The "Body Worlds" exhibit is truly one of a kind. There has never been anything like it, and von Hagens is continually working on his art form and educating millions of people a year. On his bodyworlds.com website he is also accepting body donations for his exhibit. For those who want to live on, educate and become a part of something that is simply ahead of its time. There are downloadable brochures on the site. The "Body Worlds" exhibit is at the Museum of Science and Industry is there until Sept. 5, 2005, and is well worth the wait of the long lines.

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