Every 'Body' has a story By Rachel Rivera Packs of cigarettes are abandoned on top of a glass case displaying the polluted, black lung of a smoker next to a pinkish healthy lung of a non-smoker. The shocking realization about the long-term effect of smoking moved some viewers enough to drop their smokes. Gunther von Hagens' "Body Worlds" introduces vistors of all ages to the anatomy of a human body through a process known as Plastination. This exhibit, originated in Germany, has been viewed by nearly 27 million people in Asia, Europe and North America, according to the "Body Worlds" Web site. "Body Worlds" goes beyond just an educational experience by using it's displays to encourage a healthy lifestyle and teach disease prevention. By comparing body limbs in good health to those of poor health, hopes are the viewers will walk away more aware of how to take better care of themselves, according to Kristie Spalding, the "Body Worlds" media and communications manager. When visitors enter the exhibit, the human brain is presented in a glass case. The next room is nothing but bones. Twenty full body specimens are then introduced to the viewer. Medically trained volunteers clad in white coats are stationed in every room to answer any questions. Whether it's the ice-skating couple or the pregnant mother, each exhibit is creatively displayed in an art pose influenced by von Hagens himself. Previously, bodies were not posed specifically, but von Hagens was inspired after some viewers said they were bored with the repeated positioning of each specimen, Spalding said. "Every body has a story," said Spalding. Anyone from a middle school student on a class field trip to a nurse in training can relate to each specimen in one way, Spalding said. Whether it's lung cancer or arthritis, many are able to connect with a body on a personal level. Hannah Brady, a 17-year-old graduate from Holtville High School, described her first visit to the "Body Worlds" exhibit as eye-opening. "It was interesting to see inside the human body," she said. Open until Oct. 4, "Body Worlds" admission tickets range from $13 to $25 during the week and $17 to $27 on weekends. It's located at Balboa Park in the San Diego Natural History Museum. For more information, call 619-255-0244. • • • Vox is the newspaper of the 2009 CCNMA-San Diego Multicultural Journalism Workshop. Return to index | See also: Vox on Blogspot