Body Worlds 1-4

[Demiurge]

Have any of you been to this? I just went today at the Milwaukee Public Museum with some friends. Absolutely amazing stuff to see and learn about. The event has been going for about 2 months here now and was jam packed still today.

If you haven't heard of it, here's some information:

The BODY WORLDS exhibitions are first-of-their-kind exhibitions through which visitors learn about anatomy, physiology, and health by viewing real human bodies, using an extraordinary process called Plastination a groundbreaking method for specimen preservation invented by Dr. von Hagens in 1977.

Each exhibition features more than 200 real human specimens, including whole-body plastinates, individual organs, organ configurations and transparent body slices. The specimens on display stem from the body donation program that Gunther von Hagens established in 1983.
The exhibitions also allow visitors to see and better understand the long-term impact of diseases, the effects of tobacco consumption and the mechanics of artificial supports such as knees and hips. To date, nearly 25 million people around the world have viewed the BODY WORLDS exhibits.

[SKsolutions]

Jeffrey Dahmer's version of the Food Channel

[schwarcw]

A similiar display and program has been a very popular exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center here in Pittsburgh. The exhibit is not without some controversy. Take a read:

A Feb. 15 segment on ABC's "20/20" reported that the specimens displayed in "Bodies ... The Exhibition" are the cadavers of Chinese prisoners purchased on the black market.

The company behind the bodies display, Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions, denounced the report, yet it has persisted in raising more questions about the ethics of the exhibit, on display in Pittsburgh since early October.

Some members of the panel, such as Allegheny County medical examiner Karl Williams and Duquesne business ethics professor Jim Weber, believe exhibits like "Bodies" and the use of human bodies for science in general have value, provided they are legally obtained.

Even before the "20/20" report, some local religious groups opposed the exhibit at the Science Center, calling it an undignified display of the deceased, stripped of their humanity for a profit-driven enterprise. Science center officials said they have several sworn affidavits from Premier Exhibitions stating the bodies were unclaimed remains that were obtained legally.

But even that scenario would raise ethical questions, said Rabbi Danny Schiff, one of the panelists.

"There seems to be a presumption that if you have unclaimed bodies you have carte blanche to do whatever you please with them," he said. "In their lifetime, some of these people might have been horrified by being put on display like this."

I personally have not seen the display, but I understand that it is very good.

[Demiurge]

I figured someone would bring up the controversial one, and understandably so. :) BODY WORLDS (Gunther von Hagens) is the main one that all of the museums in the U.S. host. It's entirely legitimate one, in fact if you go there they show the process of how these people sign up to donate themselves to science.

60 minutes did a show on it, and they, in typical mainstream media fashion, just tried to scare people.

[joeparaski]

Yep, I saw it when it was here in Montreal....pretty amazing stuff.

Joe

[bobman1235]

Saw it when it was at the MoS in Boston. Pretty damned amazing. My only complaint was that it was so crowded it was tough to see some of the more popular parts.

[reberly]

I think when it comes to Phoenix, the nursing/medical colleges always attend as its such a good way for them to study. The statement "stripped of their humanity for a profit-driven enterprise" seems odd. Of course I would guess someone makes money off the exhibit but I can't imagine it's strictly just for profit. There's too many easier ways to make money. Speaking of that I forgot to play the powerball tonight. Darn, darn, darn

[Fireman32]

I got to see it here in Raleigh. It was very cool.

[BaggedLancer]

Cool show.....wish i saw it when it was in boston.

[bikezappa]

Science of the human body can be amazing.

This show shows that.

Every one should go with their children.

[BIZILL]

it came through tucson a few months ago, but i didn't get a chance to check it out. i work next door to a crematorium. so the billowing black smoke/people gives me my fix of the departed.

[RuSsMaN]

We tried to see it when it came through Dallas, but didn't purchase tickets in advance, and it was completely sold out. People that purchased tickets in advance actually stood in line for over four hours at some times JUST to get in.

[BaggedLancer]

Can you touch them?

[bobman1235]

No.

There are a few organs and things they let you touch, but not the bodies.

[Demiurge]

Can you touch them?

No is the short and correct answer, like Bobman said. However, if you wanted to do it and then get booted out, you easily could do that. They are no cases on anything other than organs and bones and such.