STUDENTGUIDE

Dear Students,Have you ever watched a professional basket-

ball player seem to float in air as he or she leapsup to dunk the ball in the basket? Or maybe youwatched skiers and skaters competing at theOlympics, and wondered “How did they do that?”

Well, our bodies are pretty amazing. And themore we learn about ourselves and how our bodieswork, the better we can take care of ourselves andothers. And, the healthier we will be—making usbetter on the ice rink, basketball or tennis court,jumping hurdles, or just walking down the street.

“Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS: TheAnatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies” wasdeveloped by a German doctor and anatomist tohelp people understand how their bodies work byletting them look inside real human bodies. Whenyou visit with your school or family, you will seeexactly how your brain and your heart look and whathappens to them when certain diseases take over.You will see how smoking destroys your lungs, andhow your bones, muscles and ligaments all worktogether so you can shoot baskets, dance, or figureskate.

The activities inside this guide will help you learnmore about the human body. Thencome visit us to see BODYWORLDS. You’ll really get toknow yourself!

Dr. Angelina WhalleyConceptual Designer for BODY WORLDS andManaging Director of theInstitute for Plastination

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WelcomeA letter from BODY WORLDS

Credits:The educational supplement "Gunther von Hagens' BODYWORLDS: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real HumanBodies," was a collaboration between BODY WORLDS, TheFranklin Institute and the News in Education program of ThePhiladelphia Inquirer.

Copyright 2006 Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc.All rights reserved.

Getting up close with “The Teacher,” visitors see how complex even themost routine movements are.Photo by Alexander Laws.

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDSexhibits are first-of-their kind exhibitions.

In these ground-breaking exhibitions visi-tors learn about anatomy, physiology andhealth by viewing real human bodies preservedthrough an extraordinary method called“Plastination.”

More than 200 authentic human speci-mens are featured in each exhibit, entire bod-ies as well as individual organs and transpar-ent body slices.

To date, nearly 20 million people aroundthe world have viewed BODY WORLDS, BODYWORLDS 2 and BODY WORLDS 3.

An amazing ideaThe idea for the breakthrough process

called Plastination came to Dr. Gunther vonHagens in July 1977.

At the time, von Hagens was working inGermany as a scientist and research assistantat the University of Heidelberg’s Instituteof Pathology and Anatomy.

He was looking at an anatomy specimenembedded in plastic—something like a cherry

frozen inside an ice cube.Specimens surrounded by

plastic made it impossible forstudents to touch the speci-mens, or study the placement ofthe organs properly. But if theplastic was inside the body andnot outside it, the specimenwould be rigid and much easierto grasp, study and work with. Itwas a startling idea.

“By inventing Plastination Iwas only trying to solve a prob-lem,” von Hagens says. “I want-ed to educate my students sothey would become better doc-tors, as I don’t think doctorsshould be poking around insideyour body and operating on you ifthey don’t know important thingsabout it.”

Then, something very unusualhappened after he began to plastinateorgans and specimens. The janitors and secre-taries and office workers at the universitybegan to stop by the lab, and they were fasci-nated by the plastinates. This was when vonHagens began to think of ways to presentanatomy for lay people, which is what theBODY WORLDS exhibits do today.

“It is very different from anatomy for med-ical professionals because it has to be interest-ing and dynamic and not scary to look at,” vonHagens explains.

Replacing fluidsIn Plastination all bodily fluids and fat are

removed from the bodies to stop decay. Decay iscaused by cell enzymes released after deathand completed by bacteria that break down tis-sue. Plastination deprives bacteria of what theyneed to survive by removing water and fats fromtissue and replacing them with silicon rubberand epoxy. These harden with gas, light or heatcuring, providing firmness and durability.

At first the plastic is soft and easily shaped.This allows bodies to be placed in different life-like positions, such as The Basketball Playerdriving to the basket in the BODY WORLDSexhibit. When the plastic hardens, it freezes the

bodies in position. It takes 1,500 hours totransform a body into a full-body plastinate.

In March 1978, von Hagens filed a patentfor his invention of Plastination with theGerman Patent Office. However, the refinementof his invention and the creation of the firstwhole-body plastinate would take 13 moreyears. Like all pioneering discoveries,Plastination had its share of failures before itbecame a success. And even now von Hagenssays his methods are not yet perfect.

In 1981 von Hagens started his own compa-ny, BIODUR Products, which shares technologyand equipment for Plastination with medicalschools and institutions around the globe.

With Plastination, von Hagens has foreverchanged traditional anatomy and its audience.“The purpose of Plastination from the beginningwas scientific, to educate medical students,” hesays. “But the interest of lay people in the plas-tinated specimens inspired me to think of pub-lic exhibitions in a way that avoids shock, butcaptures the imagination.”

For more information on BODY WORLDS,the Plastination technique or Dr. Gunther vonHagens, visit www.bodyworlds.com

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What Is Plastination?The process of Plastination explained

The BODY WORLDS exhibits

reveal how human bodies work

when people take part in activities

like sports, dance, chess or teach-

ing. Different displays focus on

different systems in the body. In

today’s paper, find a photo of a

person involved in an activity that

interests you. Think about what

the body has to do for that activi-

ty. Then write a paragraph

describing what part or system of

the body you would like to show if

you could create a plastinate in

action.

Specimens plastinated with silicone are cured with a special gas.

Were you ever scared to work with dead bod-ies? Dr. von Hagens: When I was about six yearsold, I was very sick and nearly died. I was inhospital for many months and became verycomfortable in that environment of the sickand dying. The doctors and nurses who caredfor me became my heroes, and I wanted to

become like them. Later when I worked in ahospital as an orderly and then a nurse,(long before I became a doctor), one of myduties was to transport the dead to themorgue. Other workers didn’t like this jobbecause it frightened them, but I was neverafraid. Being afraid of death is not a goodway to live.

Does the laboratory smell?Dr. von Hagens: I have been working so long in the lab that I don’t notice. When I firstinvented Plastination, I would work, eat, andsleep in the lab. It was my home, I lovedbeing there, the smell did not bother me, itwas like fresh air for me.

Were the people in the exhibit old when theydied? Dr. von Hagens: The people who donatedtheir bodies for Plastination and to educateall of us about health are of various ages.Some were old, but others were young in theprime of their life. Each person is different,not just on the outside but also on the inside.It is very interesting to me that after morethan 30 years as an anatomist, I have neverseen two hearts that look the same.

Where did the idea for BODY WORLDS comefrom? Dr. von Hagens: When I used to teach anatomy to students in medical school in the 1970s, Ihad to use illustrated anatomy atlases and pic-ture books to show the organs and body systems.I tried to use real human organs and specimens,but at that time the specimens were preserved inblocks of plastic so you could not touch them, orstudy the placement of the organs properly. Irealized one day that if the plastic was inside thebody and not outside it, the specimen would berigid and easy to grasp, and study and work with.I was only trying to solve a problem, I wanted toeducate my students so they would become bet-ter doctors, as I don’t think doctors should bepoking around inside your body and operating onyou if they don’t know important things about it.But something very unusual began to happenafter I began to plastinate organs and speci-mens. The janitors and secretaries and officeworkers at the university began to stop by thelab; they were fascinated by the plastinates. Thiswas when I began to think of anatomy for laypeople, which is what BODY WORLDS is. It isvery different from anatomy for medical profes-sionals because it has to be interesting anddynamic and not scary to look at.

How long does it take to prepare the bodies fordisplay? Dr. von Hagens: Plastination takes a very longtime. A whole-body can take up to 1500 hoursto prepare. At the moment I am working onplastinating an elephant which had died in aGerman zoo. This will take about three years.

Does working with dead people make you feelhappy or guilty? Dr. von Hagens: I feel that what I do is impor-tant work. There are many people who stoppedsmoking after seeing the blackened lungs of acigarette smoker at BODY WORLDS. Theyknew all about the dangers of cigarette smok-ing for a long time, and knew they had to stop,but BODY WORLDS motivated them to stop.There are others who have written to me to saythat they resolved to stop drinking or toimprove their diet after visiting BODYWORLDS. Many say that until BODY WORLDS,they took their own bodies for granted and did-n’t pay much attention to them. I consider thisto be a reason to carry on my work, to educatepeople about health and persuade them tochange their opinions, as well as to motivatethem to think about life and how short life is.

What happens to the skin once it is removedfrom the bodies?Dr. von Hagens: Each body is an anatomicaltreasure, human remains must be handledcarefully and respectfully. All human remainsare cremated and buried.

Have you ever been emotionally involved withanyone who he has plastinated? Dr. von Hagens: The best friend of my youthdied of cancer of the kidneys, and before hisdeath he told me that he was too young to goto the cemetery and wanted his body to be ofuse to science. I carried out the Plastinationand I was in mourning for my friend through-out the process. There is a reason that doctorsare not allowed to operate on their relatives, itis simply too heartbreaking.

How do you get people to donate their bodies? Dr. von Hagens: I have never sought bodydonation. People offer their bodies forPlastination for several reasons: they want toleave a legacy for future generations, theydon’t like the effects of decay and decomposi-tion that take place after death, or they don’tlike traditional burials.

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Q & A with kidsChildren visiting BODY WORLDS—Interview Dr. Gunther vonHagens, Creator of BODY WORLDS & Inventor of Plastination

Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ life has been allabout discovery, experimentation and inven-tion. He faced many obstacles in his childhoodand in his youth, but persevered in the face ofthese challenges to become an accomplishedscientist.

Anatomist, inventor of Plastination andcreator of BODY WORLDS exhibitions, Dr.Gunther von Hagens was born in 1945, in Alt-Skalden, Posen, Poland—which was then part

of Germany. When hewas a baby his parentsplaced him in a hand-basket and headed westto escape the Russianoccupation of their

homeland. The family settled in Greiz, a smalltown where Gunther von Hagens remaineduntil the age of 19.

As a child, von Hagens was diagnosed with a rare bleeding disorder that restricted hisactivities and required long hospital stays. Atage six, he nearly died from the illness andwas hospitalized for several months. He wasinspired by the doctors and nurses who treatedhim, and decided that he would become aphysician. He showed an interest in sciencefrom an early age, and was highly excited atthe prospect of the launch of the RussianSputnik.

In 1965, Gunther von Hagens enteredmedical school at the University of Jena. Hisunique ideas and outgoing personality wereeven noted in academic reports from the uni-versity. The professors talked about his charis-ma and his imagination. They discussed hisunusual practices, but noted that his off-the-beaten-path ways were always in the bestinterest of the subject and the rest of the stu-dent body.

While at the university, Gunther vonHagens began to question Communism andSocialism—politics of the time—and partici-pated in student protests. In January 1969,while attempting to cross the borders intoAustria and freedom, he was detained byauthorities. Through a series of events, at age23, Gunther von Hagens was arrested, sent toEast Germany, and put in prison for two years.“When they first arrested me, a kind guard feltsorry for me and left a window open so that Icould escape. I hesitated and did not take theopportunity. Because of not using my logic, Iwas locked up for two years. This was a lessonI never forgot: When a good proposition pres-

ents itself, seize it, because if you don’t, youmay live to regret it,” Dr. von Hagens says.

After West Germany bought his freedom in1970, Gunther von Hagens enrolled at theUniversity of Lubeck to complete his medicalstudies.

In 1977 Dr. von Hagens inventedPlastination, his groundbreaking technology forpreserving specimens which is used to createthe BODY WORLDS exhibitions. He patentedthe method and over the next six years spentall his energy working on his invention.

Eventually, Dr. von Hagens started his owncompany to share technology and equipmentfor Plastination with medical schools and insti-tutions around the globe. The products he pro-vides help teach future doctors, and contributeto the overall development and advancementof science.

In 1992, Dr. Gunther von Hagens marriedDr. Angelina Whalley, a physician who works ashis business manager and is the designer ofthe BODY WORLDS exhibitions. Dr. vonHagens has three children, Rurik, Bera andTona.

The BODY WORLDS exhibitions have beenseen by over 20 million people across Europe,Asia and North America.

Find a story in the news about health. Read, watch or

listen to the story and write a one-paragraph account of

the most important information in the story. Then write

a second paragraph on how this information could

affect you or someone you know.

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A Life In ScienceDr. Gunther von Hagens

Cool Fact:Dr. Gunther von Hagensinvented Plastination in1977.

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDSexhibits use the science of Plastination to letvisitors see how human bodies are put togeth-er. The exhibit also teaches how differentanatomical systems work in the human body.This special student supplement also exploresseveral of the systems featured in the exhibit,including the locomotive system, the respirato-ry system, the digestive system, the nervoussystem and the cardiovascular system.

On this page the locomotive system isexamined.

The locomotive system is the system in thebody that makes movement possible. It con-sists of the bones that make up the skeleton,the joints that hold the bones together and themuscles that contract and relax to actuallymake you move.

The skeleton is the framework of the body,and it is made up of bones and cartilage. Boneis made mostly of calcium, which is why it isimportant to drink milk to keep your bonesstrong. Milk is a food that is rich in calcium.

Inside the bone is sponge-like mattercalled bone marrow. This makes bones light sopeople can move easily, but strong enough tosupport body weight. Bone marrow also pro-duces red and white blood cells. Red bloodcells have hemoglobin and carry oxygen. Whiteblood cells produce antibodies to attack bacte-ria, infections and diseases.

The skeleton has many jobs. It providesprotection to internal organs, it supports thebody and gives it its shape, and it provides aplace for muscles to attach.

Bones are important to almost every move-ment we make. Bones couldn’t move a pencil,though, without help from muscles. Musclesconsist of cells that contract.

Muscles and bones are connected by ten-dons, which are something like ropes. When amuscle contracts, it pulls the tendon, whichthen tugs on the bone, and everything moves.

Although it may seem easy to do some-thing like throw a ball, it’s actually

complicated when looked at insidethe body. To make the motion ofthrowing, many muscle groups inthe shoulders, arms, chest,abdomen and even legs must be

used! Each of these groups must work togetherwith nerves in order for motion to occur. And allthis happens in a fraction of a second!

Voluntary muscles are used when you throwa ball. These are the muscles we can control.People also have involuntary muscles, which wecannot control, such as the heart and the stom-ach.

Another important part of the locomotivesystem are the joints. Joints are positionedbetween major bones that come together andhelp you to move and bend.

There are different kinds of joints, includ-ing ball and socket joints in the hips andhinge joints at the knees and elbows. Jointsare surrounded by capsules containing fluidthat help the bones move smoothly.

The Locomotive SystemMakes motion happen

At BODY WORLDS visitors can get detailedlooks at how the locomotive system is puttogether and how it works. Figureslike The Cyclist show how the bones,joints and muscles work together tohelp people move. A displayfeaturing The MuscleMan shows how mus-cles are connected andlayered in people’s bod-ies, and skeletonexhibits reveal thestrength, delicacy andvariety of people’sbones. The bones of the human skeleton give the body both

strength and structure. A strong and healthy skeleton

is important for every person for both work and recre-

ation. Think of three things that you do every day that

involve the use of certain bones.

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at theEXHIBITS

Cool Fact:At birth, humans have 300bones. As a baby grows,however, many of thesmaller bones fuse togeth-er so that adults have just206 bones. Half of all peo-ple’s bones are in theirhands and feet.

The organs of the respiratory system worktogether, along with other body systems, toensure that the cells of the body receive theoxygen they need to live.

When you breathe in, the muscles of yourchest expand. Your diaphragm lowers, and cre-ates lower air pressure in your lungs than in theworld outside. This causes air to enter throughthe nose or mouth.

Once air enters, it travels past your esopha-gus, sometimes called the “foodpipe,” and ismoistened as it goes down the trachea, or“windpipe,” into the lungs. As the air entersthe lungs, the lungs expand outward.

Once inside the lungs, the air travelsthrough tubes called bronchi, into smaller tubescalled bronchioles, which get smaller andsmaller until they reach alveoli, which are sacsabout the size of a grain of sand.

It is through the walls of the alveoli that theoxygen in the air you breathe enters the body’sblood, which flows past the alveoli. The bloodreceives the oxygen, and in return passes car-bon dioxide into the alveoli.

The cells of your body need oxygen to live,and carbon dioxide is the waste of things thecells do. Your red blood cells are little workersthat carry the oxygen to the cells, and take thecarbon dioxide away.

Smoking, as we all know, makes the lungsless healthy, and can lead to death.

One of the reasons for this is that smokingmakes little structures called cilia stop working.Cilia move within the lungs to help clear things out that enter the lungs. Smoking disables oreven kills them. Then harmful particles stay inthe lungs.

Another bad effect of smoking is thatchemicals from cigarettes will build up in thelungs, and the delicate alveoli can becomethickened, swollen, and unable to exchangeoxygen and carbon dioxide with the blood ina healthy way. This condition leads toemphysema.

Think about itPlants take the carbon diox-

ide that we release and useit, creating oxygen, whichwe need. We in turn takeoxygen and turn it into

carbon dioxide, which plants need. This is whatis called a symbiotic relationship—one that isgood for both organisms. Try to think of otherways in which humans interact with nature insymbiotic relationships.

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The Respiratory SystemOxygen in, carbon dioxide out

Cool Fact:Your left lung is a bitsmaller than the right,to leave room for yourheart.

at theEXHIBITS

A healthy respiratory system makes it possible for people

to live active lives. Smoking causes problems for the respi-

ratory system. Make a list of five reasons why you should-

n’t smoke.

At the BODY WORLDS exhibits, visitors cansee first hand the damage that smoking cando to the lungs. Many of the bodies dis-played—even those of athletes or dancers—were from people who smoked. The effect ofthis is dramatic: Lungs that would be pinkor white when healthy are turned gray orblack by smoking.

TheStrength of a Gymnast“The Ring Gymnast” is using many bodysystems to perform this complex pose.Certainly, his nervous, locomotive and car-diovascular systems are working at highlevels. Notice that this plastinate has avery strong upper body, one of the reasonshe was chosen to show the incrediblestrength of a gymnast. Compare theappearance of upper-body muscle in thisplastinate to that of others in the exhibits.

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The human body can be shaped in many different ways through

exercise. Look through the newspaper for a story about an ath-

lete. Through reading the article and researching online, find

out what kind of training schedule the athlete might follow.

Think about what parts of the body it is most important for the

athlete to strengthen. Then write a schedule for a week’s worth

of training for the athlete in your article.

The Flexibility of a Gymnast“The Balance Beam Gymnast” is showing greatstrength and balance as she supports her body onher arms and one leg, but more than that she is amarvel of the flexibility of the human body. Thinkabout what exercise and stretching this womanmight have done to prepare her body to be able toperform this pose.

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The Digestive SystemConverting food into energy

The digestive system breaks down the food that supplies

the human body with energy. What foods would you eat

if you needed energy for sports or active recreation?

Pick five foods you think would be good sources of

energy. Then pair off and research your foods. Were they

all healthy choices for getting the energy you needed?

at theEXHIBITSDigestion is a complex process that letspeople get the most energy and nutrientsfrom the food they eat. But what aboutwhen people eat too much food? The diges-tive system keeps trying to get the mostenergy it can from food, even when a per-son is overweight and doesn’t need anymore calories or nourishment. Around 15%of children in the United States are obese,so there are a lot of young people in thiscountry who are taking in too manycalories. One of the most dra-matic displays in the BODYWORLDS exhibits com-pares cross sections ofbodies that are physi-cally fit with those ofpeople who are over-weight. The crosssections of over-weight peoplereveal how a thicklayer of fat cancover the outsideof the body,causing stresson the heartand otherorgans.

The body’s digestive system converts thefood you eat into the energy you need to live.

The journey through your digestive system is a long one for food. It starts in the mouth,where teeth grind and tear the food into smallpieces. Saliva then wets and softens the food,and begins to dissolve carbohydrates. Once thefood is properly mashed and wet, it is pushedby muscle action into the pharynx, or throat,and down the esophagus, which leads to thestomach.

When food reaches the stomach it is mixedand broken down further by acids the stomachproduces. The stomach protects itself fromthese acids by secreting a layer of mucus thatlines the inside of the stomach.

Some things, such as water and sugars, can be absorbed right out of the stomach and into

the bloodstream. The things that need more diges-

tion have further steps ahead ofthem. When the stomach hasmade the food a liquid, the foodpasses through a valve into thesmall intestine.

The small intestine has alarge surface area because itcontains villi. Villi are tiny lit-tle structures like very shorthairs that stick out into thesmall intestine. Through thewalls of the villi nutrients fromfood pass into the blood-stream. The bloodstream car-ries the nutrients to your cellsso they can live.

Once all the useful nutrients have beentaken from food in the small intestine, theunusable parts pass into the large intestine, orcolon.

In the large intestine, water is extractedfrom the waste and the material hardens intofeces. The feces are passed out of the bodywhen you go to the bathroom.

Digestive helpersThe pancreas, liver and gallbladder are all

organs that do things important to the digestivesystem. The pancreas makes enzymes that helpdigest proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Theliver makes bile, which helps the body absorbfat. Bile is stored in the gallbladder until it isneeded. Enzymes and bile travel into the smallintestine through ducts. Interestingly, peopledon’t really need the gallbladder. If it isremoved, the bile just flows right into the smallintestine and does its job.

Cool Fact:Your mouth makesabout half a quart ofsaliva each day, andyou produce a total ofabout seven quarts ofdigestive juices.

The nervous system is the system of thebody that controls movements, thoughts andemotions throughout the body. Without it, youwouldn’t be able to function!

There are two parts to the nervous system:the central nervous system and the peripheralnervous system.

The central nervous system includes thebrain and the spinal cord. They work togetherwith nerves to send messages back and forthbetween the brain and the rest of the body.

The brain is the boss. It has five parts: thecerebrum, the cerebellum, the brain stem, thepituitary gland and the hypothalamus.

The cerebrum is the biggest part of thebrain and controls thoughts, language and vol-untary muscles, which are the muscles you cancontrol. You also use the cerebrum when youthink hard in school and when you need toremember things.

The cerebellum is a lot smaller than thecerebrum, but still very important. It controlsbalance, movement and coordination. If itweren’t for the cerebellum, you wouldn’t be able

to stand without falling!The brain stem connects the rest of the

brain to the spinal cord. It’s the part in chargeof major things that keep you alive like breath-ing, blood pressure and digesting food. Unlikethe cerebrum, the brain stem controls the invol-untary muscles—the ones that work without youthinking about it, such as the heart and stom-ach.

The tiny pituitary gland produces and releas-es hormones into the body—hormones likethose that help you grow and change.

Finally, the hypothalamus regulates yourbody temperature, your emotions and hungerand thirst.

The brain has many jobs, but it needs helpfrom nerves and the spinal cord, too. Everyaction you do happens because your brain, yournerves and your spinal cord work together.

The nervous system includes millions andmillions of neurons, which are microscopiccells. When you do something, messages travelfrom the neurons to your brain.

The peripheral nervous system is composedof the nerves and neurons that go outside thecentral nervous system to operate thebody’s limbs and organs. It is herethat everything gets connected.

Next time you take a test,drink a glass of water, laughor do anything at all,thank your nervous sys-tem. Actually, you canthank it right nowsince it just helpedyou read this!

The nervous system carries

messages to the brain that make

it possible for the body’s five

senses to work. The five senses

are touch, taste, hearing, sight

and smell. Explore the five sens-

es by writing about one of your

favorite things for each sense.

For example you may say that

you enjoy listening to classical

music, because it helps you con-

centrate. This relates to your

sense of hearing.

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The Nervous SystemThe messenger and the boss

at theEXHIBITSAt the BODY WORLDS exhibits, displays give adetailed look at how the spinal cord and nervoussystem connect the different parts of the humanbody. Two of the most dramatic examples includethe whole-body plastinates “The Ponderer” and“The Chess Player.”

Cool Fact:The nervous systemcarries messages fromthe brain to otherparts of the body atmore than 100 milesper hour.

Images of hearts are often used to symbol-ize romance or love.

But actually—and more importantly—theheart is the central organ of the cardiovascularsystem, and it doesn’t look much like the draw-ings found on Valentines.

Cardio means heart, and the cardiovascularsystem is essential to our survival.

The cardiovascular system is sometimesreferred to as the circulatory system becauseit’s responsible for the circulation of bloodthrough the body.

It consists of the heart, which is a muscularpumping device, and a closed system of vesselscalled arteries, veins and capillaries.

The cardiovascular system’s vital role is toprovide a continuous and controlled movementof blood through the thousands of miles ofmicroscopic capillaries that reach every tissue

and cell in the body. Human survival depends on the circulation

of blood to the organs, tissues and cells of yourbody.

Arteries carry blood enriched with oxygenaway from the heart, and veins carry blood thathas used up its oxygen back to the heart.Through the heart and lungs, the blood gets afresh supply of oxygen and delivers it to the restof the body.

Twenty major arteries make a path throughthe tissues of the body. Then they branch outinto smaller vessels called arterioles. Thesebranch further into the capillaries, most ofwhich are thinner than a hair—some so tiny, infact, that only one blood cell can move throughat a time.

Once the blood in capillaries delivers oxygenand nutrients, it picks up carbon dioxide andother waste. Then blood moves back throughwider vessels, called venules. These eventuallyjoin to form veins, which deliver the blood backto your heart to pick up oxygen.

If all the vessels of this network were laidend to end, they would extend about 60,000miles, far enough to circle Earth more thantwice!

Because all the tissues in the body rely onit, the cardiovascular system appears early indeveloping embryos—in the fourth week afterfertilization—and reaches a functioning statelong before any other major organ system.

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The Cardiovascular SystemThe body’s great pump

The cardiovascular system is a del-

icate system and can be affected

by many things. Fats and choles-

terol, for example, can slow or even

block the flow of blood in the body.

Fats and cholesterol enter the body

through foods people eat, and that

is one reason people are encour-

aged to limit the amount of fatty

or oily foods they eat. Think of ten

fatty foods and ten healthier

options. For example, you may

think of a doughnut as a fatty food

and toast as an alternative.

at theEXHIBITSIn the BODY WORLDS exhibits, displays give aclear picture of how extensive and important thecardiovascular system is to human survival.Some of the most dramatic—and beautiful—displays are the arterial specimens, which showthe bright red capillary systems of specimens ondisplay.

Cool Fact:At every stage of life,your heart is aboutthe size of the fistyou make when youclose your hand.

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The BODY WORLDS exhibits teach a greatdeal about the science and anatomy of thehuman body.

They also teach about the form and art ofthe human body.

Studies of anatomy have always been a keypart of art education. Artists who know howthe human body is put together, and how itsmuscles work, are better able to portray peoplein painting, sculpture and other art forms.

This knowledge is important, even if artistschoose to represent the human form inabstract ways rather than realistic representa-tion.

In the BODY WORLDS exhibits, Gunthervon Hagens has positioned human figures toreveal how the body is put together and how it

performs different tasks. He also has present-ed human figures in ways that highlight differ-ent body systems.

A group display called “The Blood VesselFamily,” for example, reveals the human formthrough its network of blood vessels.

The scientific choices he has made givevisitors a new way to understand how humanbodies work. At the same time, he hasrevealed how beautiful the form and systemsof the human body are.

As visitors go through the exhibits, theylearn the science and biology of anatomy. Theyalso get to experience the artistic qualities ofanatomy.

This gives the exhibits appeal to all stu-dents, not just those in science classes.

Think like an artistLike Gunther von Hagens, artists some-

times like to focus on one aspect of a fig-

ure. In art, this may be done by emphasizingone feature of a person, or showing the sub-ject from an unusual angle or perspective.

Explore this idea by thinking about some-one in your family. Reflect on what this per-son is like, or what you admire about him orher. Then think about what you would focuson if you were to portray this person in anartwork. Draw a sketch of your artwork andexplain your ideas to the class.

Photos as artNewspaper photographers often are asked

to take photo portraits of people in the news.These portraits often could be considered pho-tographic artworks. Look through the news and features sections of The newspaper for severaldays and clip photos portraying people. Pickthe one you like the most and explain to theclass what makes the portrayal effective orartistic in your eyes. Finish by giving the photo a title, and explain it to classmates.

Sports anatomyCoaches need to know how to evaluate the

physical skills and talents of players. Thesetalents often are based on anatomy. Pick anathlete you admire. Then think about the dif-ferent body systems explored in this guide.Write out which systems contribute most to thesuccess of this athlete.

Art in ScienceThe beauty of the body

Understanding how the body works is

important in many professions. Think

about what you may want to be when

you grow up, and write a short sen-

tence or paragraph explaining what

about anatomy is important in the job,

and why.

All specimens in Gunther von Hagens’BODY WORLDS exhibits are authentic. Theybelonged to people who declared during theirlifetime that their bodies should be madeavailable after their deaths for the instructionof doctors and the education of the public.

“BODY WORLDS is most of all a collabora-tion between the donors and myself, and allthose who view the exhibit,” von Hagens says.“All of humanity owes the donors a great deal,for without them, there would be no BODY

WORLDS.”To ensure that donors make the decision

willingly, von Hagens’ Institute for Plastinationrequires that all donors sign an official consentform.

In the form, the donors must declare thatthey have made the decision “freely and volun-

tarily” to donate their body “for the purpose ofanatomical research and education … for stu-dents and especially for the general public.”

In addition, they must check off answers tospecific questions that have been raised byPlastination so there is no doubt they fullyunderstand their decision.

“I agree for my body to be used for anypurposes, provided it is to do with medicalresearch or training” reads one example.

Or “I agree that my plastinated body canbe used for the medical enlightenment oflaypeople and, to this end, exhibited in public(e.g. in a museum).”

Or “I agree that my body can be used foran anatomical work of art.”

Or “I agree that lay people be allowed totouch my plastinated body” in some exhibits.

Donors to the Institute for Plastinationhave the option to donate all useable orgens tosave lives before their bodies are plastinated.

Talk about itAs a class, discuss whether you would want

to have your body, or the body of a relative, plas-tinated for education or display. Then discusswhether you think it is a good idea to exhibitplastinates for the general public. To ease dis-cussion, you can set up a “For Chair” and an“Against Chair” to sit in at the front of the roomwhen offering your opinion.

In your discussion:• Consider what motivates a donor to allow

his/her body to be plastinated for educationor an exhibit.

• Consider how the friends and relatives of adonor might feel.

• Imagine that a member of your immediatefamily wanted to be plastinated.

• Consider what you might learn—or didlearn—about your own body from viewingthe BODY WORLDS exhibits.

After holding the class discussion, summarize the general

feelings of the class in a news story of the style found on the

front page of a newspaper. Talk about how newspaper

reporters must weigh all information before making a general

conclusion. Then compare summaries written by different

members of the class. How similar were they? What were

some differences? What was the source of those differences?

Would you do it?Thoughts about Plastination and your body

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Cool Fact:Plastination takes avery long time. Awhole body can takeup to 1500 hours toprepare.