Went for another field trip today, this time for anatomy class. Pretty sad that this plan was kind of a backup plan so only 3 people from my class turned up. Anyways, we went to the Body Worlds exhibition in San Jose(Google for pictures, I didn't post any here in case it offends anyone, but it's not that gruesome). It's an exhibition of human body parts and flayed bodies preserved in a technique called plastination .It's a relatively new technique, being invented in the 1970s. Basically it involves substituting body fluids with plastics to prevent decomposition, and since the plastic hardens, the bodies can be posed and structures can be sliced without collapsing on themselves. Been wanting to go for something like that since I read about the La Specola(an exhibition of realistic wax sculptures of flayed bodies, in Italy) in my anatomy book, even if I wouldn't dare to go for a dissection.

There are a few exhibits traveling around, but the one we caught was the Vitals exhibit, which focussed on healthy and diseased bodies. Not all entirely relevant to anatomy class, but interesting nonetheless. And it strengthens your resolution not to smoke or drink. Apparently they've got an exhibition on animals as well. That would be fun.

It was really nice since the bodies are really well preserved and some of them are posed quite artistically.It makes you appreciate yourself better to see how ingeniously built and delicate anyone's body is on the inside. A bit smaller that I expected though, and the sucky thing was that we weren't allowed to take photos or even sketches in the exhibition. I think it's got something to do with being paranoid about copyright infringement, apparently there are some exhibitions ripping off the idea of Body Worlds. But you can find a lot of photos (press approved, probably) on the web though, which is pretty weird. I'd understand the no photography thing, but even no sketches? And it's supposed to be an educational exhibition. There were some other students that were taking written notes though. One happy accident was that the Tech Museum told us the wrong information that we could purchase tickets at half price if we brought our student IDs, and then they couldn't go back on their promise, so we got in for $8 instead of $14 for students or $16 at full price.

I think these people who donate their bodies to be made into exhibits are pretty cool. That along with those that will their bodies for dissection and organ donations. It's like getting more bang for your buck. I've heard some people say it makes you want to treat your body better when you are alive, the same way you'd treat something you borrowed from someone better than you treat you own possessions. I know Sook signed up for organ donation. Anyone else of you did something like that? I'm curious.