Photos courtesy of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Plastinations by Gunther von Hagens

Gross anatomy ‘Body Worlds 2’ spotlights in-depth view of human body By Nicole Queen nqueen@mscd.edu

   Ever wondered what your body looks like on the inside? Ever wondered what it’s like to hang out with dead people and not be completely freaked out?
   Sure, we’ve all seen pictures in textbooks and the anatomy shows on TV. Some of us have maybe even encountered a dead body accompanied by the creepy, stomach-turning smell of formaldehyde.
   Now, you can experience all of this—minus the smell of formaldehyde—at the fascinating new exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which will satisfy your curiosity for the human body, get you up close to the human structure and allow you to really examine what makes us, well, us.
   German scientist, Gunther von Hagens, introduces Denver to “Body Worlds 2,” another dimension of the human anatomy. His scientific breakthrough, which he calls “plastination,” halts the natural process of the decomposition of cells and tissue.
   The use of plastic for preservation is not a new idea—remember passing around the blocks of plastic with insects or animal organs in high school? Well, von Hagens has stepped it up a bit and, instead of surrounding the specimen with plastic, he has created a way to “impregnate” each individual cell with plastic. This process replaces body fluids, preserving a realistic look to the organ, while keeping it lightweight and moveable.
   The “Body Worlds” exhibit is comprised of individual human organs from every system—nervous, vascular, respiratory, digestive and reproductive—as well as donated human bodies permanently posed in everyday human activities, such as playing soccer, baseball, ice skating, ballet, sitting, standing, etc.
   After standing for an hour and a half in a line that wrapped around the upper level of the museum, entering the exhibit was a bit like entering a freak show. It is exciting, but unnerving. There’s no way of knowing what one is going to see or whether it will be tolerable. Since there were so many people, the ventilation was poor and people milled around the first room for about 15 minutes.
   The first room seemed to try and slowly introduce the viewer to the exhibit with a display of the “run of the mill” skeletons and bones.
   “ It is very important that people are not confronted with something that makes them feel insecure,” von Hagens said.
   In a case on the wall was the entire preserved central nervous system hanging on its body frame, similar to a string of fragile Christmas lights. It was amazing to see how incredibly time-consuming this must have been to create, only to realize later that this was only the beginning of the amazement.
   Further on in the exhibit, one is met with the strangely beautiful “Flying Skier,” forever in flight after executing a jump and leaving his skin behind to reveal his intact inner organs. And from behind, one can peer into his abdominal cavity to see the inner workings of the body’s complex systems.
   Another amazing, yet bizarre, display was the “X Lady,” who seemed to have exploded from the inside out, with layers of muscle peeled away to view her insides from every angle.
   What’s so impressive about these bodies is to think about the man-hours dedicated to each and every one, carefully positioned with the utmost respect and admiration by von Hagens and his assistants.
   Not only are there fully positioned bodies, there are also specific organs in glass cases placed strategically throughout the exhibit. One may view the maze of a nasal cavity, the inside of a brain, the blackened lungs of a smoker, as well as the consequences of cancer and tumors on individual organs.
   The further one goes through the exhibit, the stranger things get.
   There is a room devoted entirely to fetal development, and while it may well be the most controversial display of the exhibit, it is one of the most fascinating. One may observe the very beginning of an embryo and follow the stages up to a developing baby in the 28th week of pregnancy.
   A woman in her fifth month of pregnancy, with her womb fully exposing the baby within, quietly stands in the corner. This is a shocking, yet stunningly beautiful dedication to the beginning of human life.
   While von Hagens has had his share of media hoopla and being called a freak and a sicko, his contributions to the study of anatomy, biology, physiology and the education of the human body surely would make past anatomists, like Leonardo di Vinci, proud.
   Considering his work to be “high craftsmanship in the tradition of the Renaissance,” Von Hagens’ exhibit helps bring the reality of death and mortality to the forefront with the hope that people will become more comfortable with the idea.
   “ What is death, actually? Do we have to fear death? Do we have to like death? No. We have to come along with our own mortality,” von Hagens said.
   Viewers of all ages stared with awe and utter interest at the displays. No one was “grossed out;” no one had a look of disgust, proving that this exhibit was done with tact and careful consideration for the viewer.
   For the curious and the unsure, students of science and those who are simply interested, “Body Worlds” is a must-see venture into the observation and understanding of our own complex bodies.
   “ People should realize they are no bag of bones or muscles,” Von Hagens states. “The body is a thing of beauty.”
   “ Body Worlds 2” runs through July 23. It is highly recommended that tickets be secured in advance.Ever wondered what your body looks like on the inside? Ever wondered what it’s like to hang out with dead people and not be completely freaked out?
   Sure, we’ve all seen pictures in textbooks and the anatomy shows on TV. Some of us have maybe even encountered a dead body accompanied by the creepy, stomach-turning smell of formaldehyde.
   Now, you can experience all of this—minus the smell of formaldehyde—at the fascinating new exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which will satisfy your curiosity for the human body, get you up close to the human structure and allow you to really examine what makes us, well, us.
   German scientist, Gunther von Hagens, introduces Denver to “Body Worlds 2,” another dimension of the human anatomy. His scientific breakthrough, which he calls “plastination,” halts the natural process of the decomposition of cells and tissue.
   The use of plastic for preservation is not a new idea—remember passing around the blocks of plastic with insects or animal organs in high school? Well, von Hagens has stepped it up a bit and, instead of surrounding the specimen with plastic, he has created a way to “impregnate” each individual cell with plastic. This process replaces body fluids, preserving a realistic look to the organ, while keeping it lightweight and moveable.
   The “Body Worlds” exhibit is comprised of individual human organs from every system—nervous, vascular, respiratory, digestive and reproductive—as well as donated human bodies permanently posed in everyday human activities, such as playing soccer, baseball, ice skating, ballet, sitting, standing, etc.
   After standing for an hour and a half in a line that wrapped around the upper level of the museum, entering the exhibit was a bit like entering a freak show. It is exciting, but unnerving. There’s no way of knowing what one is going to see or whether it will be tolerable. Since there were so many people, the ventilation was poor and people milled around the first room for about 15 minutes.
   The first room seemed to try and slowly introduce the viewer to the exhibit with a display of the “run of the mill” skeletons and bones.
   “ It is very important that people are not confronted with something that makes them feel insecure,” von Hagens said.
   In a case on the wall was the entire preserved central nervous system hanging on its body frame, similar to a string of fragile Christmas lights. It was amazing to see how incredibly time-consuming this must have been to create, only to realize later that this was only the beginning of the amazement.
   Further on in the exhibit, one is met with the strangely beautiful “Flying Skier,” forever in flight after executing a jump and leaving his skin behind to reveal his intact inner organs. And from behind, one can peer into his abdominal cavity to see the inner workings of the body’s complex systems.
   Another amazing, yet bizarre, display was the “X Lady,” who seemed to have exploded from the inside out, with layers of muscle peeled away to view her insides from every angle.
   What’s so impressive about these bodies is to think about the man-hours dedicated to each and every one, carefully positioned with the utmost respect and admiration by von Hagens and his assistants.
   Not only are there fully positioned bodies, there are also specific organs in glass cases placed strategically throughout the exhibit. One may view the maze of a nasal cavity, the inside of a brain, the blackened lungs of a smoker, as well as the consequences of cancer and tumors on individual organs.
   The further one goes through the exhibit, the stranger things get.
   There is a room devoted entirely to fetal development, and while it may well be the most controversial display of the exhibit, it is one of the most fascinating. One may observe the very beginning of an embryo and follow the stages up to a developing baby in the 28th week of pregnancy.
   A woman in her fifth month of pregnancy, with her womb fully exposing the baby within, quietly stands in the corner. This is a shocking, yet stunningly beautiful dedication to the beginning of human life.
   While von Hagens has had his share of media hoopla and being called a freak and a sicko, his contributions to the study of anatomy, biology, physiology and the education of the human body surely would make past anatomists, like Leonardo di Vinci, proud.
   Considering his work to be “high craftsmanship in the tradition of the Renaissance,” Von Hagens’ exhibit helps bring the reality of death and mortality to the forefront with the hope that people will become more comfortable with the idea.
   “ What is death, actually? Do we have to fear death? Do we have to like death? No. We have to come along with our own mortality,” von Hagens said.
   Viewers of all ages stared with awe and utter interest at the displays. No one was “grossed out;” no one had a look of disgust, proving that this exhibit was done with tact and careful consideration for the viewer.
   For the curious and the unsure, students of science and those who are simply interested, “Body Worlds” is a must-see venture into the observation and understanding of our own complex bodies.
   “ People should realize they are no bag of bones or muscles,” Von Hagens states. “The body is a thing of beauty.”
   “ Body Worlds 2” runs through July 23. It is highly recommended that tickets be secured in advance.