Body Worlds: Our Bodies and Respect for Life

Configuration of the Arteries of the Head and Brain

On Friday afternoon, I went to California Science Center to see the Body Worlds exhibition. The single fact that the work on display are real human corpse make this exhibition the most special one. Before I continue, I would like to introduce the plastination technique. Basically, more than 50% percent weight of our body are water and lipid. Soon after one is dead, anatomist injects a kind of chemicals into the body, which replace the water and lipid. After this treatment, the chemicals polymerizes and solidifies, thus keeping the shape and microscopic structure of the body. It doesn't decay any more even exposed to air. Dr. Gunther von Hagens invented this technique in 1970s. It was initially used for anatomy teaching, and obviously it's scientifically good.

And then Dr. Hagens explores this controversial art form. He makes the bodies posing different postures as they are alive. So, there are runners, warriors, dancers, torchbearers, horse riders, etc. But their muscle and bones are naked. You can also see nerves, arteries and veins. You see with your own eyes the internal structure of human body. But they have not find a ideal way to keep the texture and shape of skin. When you face these plastinationed bodies, they look like sculptures at first glance. But they are real human corpses. That's why this exhibition impressive.

That's also why they have an emotional impact on the audiences. Actually similar exhibitions are not allowed some cities. Though my education in biology tells that human body can in fact be reduced to basic elements, such as carbons and nitrogens, I felt strongly that they are humans, who were alive like me no long ago. This feeling made me tired; I quickly finished this supposedly 3-hour tour in two hours.

I am not religions; I don't believe in the next life. What I am concerned is how to show our respect for life. In most culture, after one man is dead and his/her body is buried to ground; we believe they can return to the nature in this way. I ask myself whether do you like to be plastination-ed or buried or burned after you die. Well, it will be interesting to let my body perpetuate than to let the body decay in the earth or burned to ashes, it hurts me that my body will be peeled, cut and displayed. So, I haven't made up my mind.

References:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_worlds
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastination
3. http://www.bodyworlds.com/en.html
4. There are many related videos in youtube.com, just search "body worlds"