The James Logan Courier

By Christine Surna Khayat, Courier Staff Writer

Ever wondered what people look like with no skin? Or with their skulls removed and their brains exposed? Well, neither had I until I heard about Body Worlds 2 and The Three Pound Gem, at the San Jose Tech museum, an exhibit of real human bodies, with a current special focus on the brain.

The Body World displays reveal how humans look during normal, everyday activities such as playing sports, reading, dancing, and more. The displays focus on specific body systems to further help students, teachers, and the general public alike to learn more in depth about the human body by actually seeing one, rather than a poor model.

The bodies are preserved by a method called plastination, which anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens invented. The process off preserving bodies by this method is very complex and lengthy. Hagens’ initial intention was to create a method, which would make the studying of the human body for medical students easier. He wanted to make the organs more visible and accessible to be able to learn from. The idea of placing the plastinated specimens on display came about when the janitors and secretaries of the office he worked in became fascinated by the displays. However, Hagens decided to make a few alterations to the preparation of models before he would display them. He says, “It is very different from anatomy for medical professionals because it has to be interesting and dynamic and not scary to look at.”

Not scary to look at?! Ok, maybe it’s not exactly scary, but the mere sight of the skin removed, muscle exposed, bodies that are sometimes even cut into little steak-like chunks are enough to creep out anybody (or to cause the weak of stomach to have a bit of a reaction).

So you think your stomach can handle it? Intrigued by how are bodies work? Head over to the San Jose Tech Museum and get a glimpse of the exhibit that’s stirring up so much commotion in the Bay Area.