What is plastination to a body?

Plastination is an innovative method of conserving anatomical specimens, where all bodily fluids are exchanged with a polymer, which can be hardened. Plastination was invented by Dr Gunther von Hagens in 1977 and he and his team have further developed the process since then.

How do they get bodies for plastination?

Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the inventor of plastination and the impresario behind the Body Worlds exhibitions, says that every whole body exhibited in North America comes from fully informed European and American donors, who gave permission, in writing, for their bodies to be displayed.

What is plastination in medical term?

: a technique for the preservation of biological tissue that involves replacing water and fat in tissue with a polymer (such as silicone or polyester) to produce a dry durable specimen for anatomical study.

Are plastinated bodies real?

Plastination is a technique or process used in anatomy to preserve bodies or body parts, first developed by Gunther von Hagens in 1977. The water and fat are replaced by certain plastics, yielding specimens that can be touched, do not smell or decay, and even retain most properties of the original sample.

Can you take pictures in the Bodies exhibit?

We encourage you to contact your local medical school to learn about their need for body donations. Please contact our body donation office if you have any further questions. Can you take photographs or film in the exhibitions? Professional and commercial photography and filming in the exhibitions is not allowed.

What is the purpose of Plastination?

Plastination is a preservation method to generate non-toxic anatomical specimens, which can be used for long-term educational purposes. The basic idea of plastination is that a plastic polymer replaces the biological fluid within a given specimen. Dr. Gunther von Hagens first invented this method in the 1970s[1].

What is plastination describe process of plastination?

How long does it take a body to decompose in coffin?

By 50 years in, your tissues will have liquefied and disappeared, leaving behind mummified skin and tendons. Eventually these too will disintegrate, and after 80 years in that coffin, your bones will crack as the soft collagen inside them deteriorates, leaving nothing but the brittle mineral frame behind.