Sold out: Human bodies on display
The Museum of Nature and Science in Denver is currently hosting Body Works 2 that celebrates life using human specimens. There was ethical controversy over the exhibit before it arrived in Denver, but the inaugural weekend brought record crowds to the museum.
Preserved by a process called plastination, invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, bodies are suspended in their true form. Plastination is the process of removing the existing fluid in a body and replacing it with a plastic substance. Bodies preserved this way are called plastinates. Formaldehyde is not used in the process, glass barriers are used only over smaller displays. Smaller specimens include single organs, transparent slices, the nervous system, and the reproductive system.
The use of real bodies allows the public to examine disease in the human body. The clean lungs of a non-smoker sit next to those of a heavy smoker, the difference is enough to make a smoker reconsider lighting that next cigarette.
All of the 200 human bodies involved in the exhibit were donated for the purpose of plastination. There are over 20 whole human specimens posed to display unique anatomy that viewers can examine up close.
Up-close examination can be overwhelming for some. The exhibit is intended for children 5th grade and above, as some of the displays can require parental explanation. During a single visit, one child became ill and an elderly woman passed out, but these isolated instances do not speak for the general population.
Examining plastinates close-up should pose no problem for anyone who went through high school biology. More prominent in the exhibit was the awe-inspiring intricacy of the human body, and the feeling of gratitude for the body donors.
Even during the week, the museum sells out of tickets for Body Works 2 quickly, so plan on getting to the museum early or buying tickets online at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Preserved by a process called plastination, invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, bodies are suspended in their true form. Plastination is the process of removing the existing fluid in a body and replacing it with a plastic substance. Bodies preserved this way are called plastinates. Formaldehyde is not used in the process, glass barriers are used only over smaller displays. Smaller specimens include single organs, transparent slices, the nervous system, and the reproductive system.
The use of real bodies allows the public to examine disease in the human body. The clean lungs of a non-smoker sit next to those of a heavy smoker, the difference is enough to make a smoker reconsider lighting that next cigarette.
All of the 200 human bodies involved in the exhibit were donated for the purpose of plastination. There are over 20 whole human specimens posed to display unique anatomy that viewers can examine up close.
Up-close examination can be overwhelming for some. The exhibit is intended for children 5th grade and above, as some of the displays can require parental explanation. During a single visit, one child became ill and an elderly woman passed out, but these isolated instances do not speak for the general population.
Examining plastinates close-up should pose no problem for anyone who went through high school biology. More prominent in the exhibit was the awe-inspiring intricacy of the human body, and the feeling of gratitude for the body donors.
Even during the week, the museum sells out of tickets for Body Works 2 quickly, so plan on getting to the museum early or buying tickets online at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
posted by Nelsmart at
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