Plastinized bodies on display now
FROM STAFF REPORTS Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Submitted photo OUR BODY: The Universe Within" is open to the general public at the GUlf Coast Exploreum in Mobile, Ala. until May 11.

When you're updating your list of must-see destinations, there is one place you shouldn't neglect: the journey within. Sounds exotic? At the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center in Mobile, Ala., the journey begins in the blockbuster exhibit OUR BODY: The Universe Within.

OUR BODY: The Universe Within is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the splendor of the human body, the most complex machine on the planet.

On display at the Gulf Coast Exploreum through May 11, OUR BODY: The Universe Within is an awe-inspiring exhibit where visitors gain a deeper understanding of human anatomy and a greater appreciation for the daily miracles that keep the body running at full steam from morning until night. You'll never look at yourself in the same way again.

OUR BODY: The Universe Within is a fascinating human anatomy lesson comprised of 12 real human bodies and 75 anatomical displays that have been preserved through polymer impregnation, or plastination. Developed only three decades ago, plastination is a unique preservation method that replaces water and fat with reactive plastics, preventing decomposition of the body while maintaining the integrity of the human specimens - organs, muscles and nerves - down to the microscopic level. The end result is an astonishing learning tool that provides insight into the form and function of the human body from a perspective formally reserved for medical professionals and scientists.

"Very educational! Why should medical people have all the knowledge?" asked Jeannine, who visited within the opening week of the exhibit. Jeannine is not alone in this thought: without exception, human body exhibitions have been the most popular and highly attended shows in the United States during the past three years. As the exclusive Southeast venue for OUR BODY: The Universe Within, the Exploreum is offering visitors of all backgrounds the rare chance to learn more about the human body by experiencing its wonder up-close in a compelling and dignified environment.

Appropriate for all ages, OUR BODY: The Universe Within begins with the history of anatomy and the major breakthroughs that have enhanced the development of medicine, and consequently, improved quality of life for mankind.

OUR BODY: The Universe Within reveals the structure of different types of bones, how they are connected and how each bone and attached muscle structure, tendon and ligament facilitate movement. With each step through the exhibit, the intricacies of the body are made known: the nerves responsible for pain, pleasure and heat sensations; the compact arrangement of the sinus cavities; the elaborate network of arteries, veins and capillaries that literally carry the lifeblood of the body.

Through cross-sectioned, three-dimensional views, OUR BODY helps visitors cultivate a greater appreciation for their very own bodies. Nikki, a guest from Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., shared her thoughts in the comment book: "It was amazing to think that our bodies are so complex! It was incredible!"

People of all ages recognize the educational component of this science exhibit and some are even inspired to focus on medicine, visitor comments prove. For example, "Now I definitely want to go into forensic science," said Savannah.

"I will not smoke," claims Alex, a second grader after his visit; and Jennifer, a school teacher shared her enthusiasm: "Absolutely incredible! My fascination with the human body continues to grow. This was an opportunity of a lifetime. I wish I could bring every student I teach to see this amazing exhibit."

Many visitors are also overwhelmed by the deeply personal nature of the exhibit and the opportunity it presents for selfreflection. "We are wonderfully and fearfully made!" said Mobile resident Carol.

In addition to the illuminating specimens on display, the Exploreum has focused on human health programming throughout the science center. With a combo ticket, visitors have access to the entire facility as well as entry to an IMAX Film of their choice in the only domed IMAX theater on the Gulf Coast.

In the J.L. Bedsole IMAX Dome Theater, moviegoers will marvel at the power of the incredible human brain as they view National Geographic's large-format film Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France. Through the steep inclines of the Alps to treacherous descents through the Pyrenees Mountains, visitors will be on the edge of their seats as they witness the human brain overcome crushing pain and fatigue, process an enormous amount of information and execute a plan that will ultimately beat the competition.

Visitors can also opt to see the IMAX Film The Human Body, a cinematic 'day-in-thelife' of the human body. This film, a winner of Best Film for Lifelong Learning, follows a day in the life of an eight-year old, a teenager and a couple expecting their first child. Viewers will accompany a tomato on its journey to the stomach, understand puberty from the perspective of teenagers, travel alongside red blood cells into the heart and marvel as a new life develops and enters the world.

In the Hearin-Chandler Virtual Journeys Digital Theater, audiences don 3D glasses and embark on a trip through one or more of the body's systems in the Virtual Human 3D Experience. Visitors can reach out and (try to) touch red blood cells as they chart a course through the circulatory system; zip up the spinal cord to the control center of the body; or follow a food particle through the digestive system.

And a trip to the Exploreum wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Ciba Lab, the fully functioning laboratory where you become the scientist! Each month there is an exciting topic that includes six different hands-on experiments as well as a few demonstrations that are sure to pique your interest! The Ciba Lab offers a unique, engaging view of science, whether you are part of the demonstrations or observing from the amphitheater-style seating.

Reserve your tickets now. OUR BODY: The Universe Within will be on display-seven days a week-through May 11, 2008. Tickets are now on sale at the Exploreum Box Office and online at www.exploreum.com. Prices are $15 for members; $25 for adults; $23 for seniors (ages 60+) and youth; and $22 for children (ages 2-12). Combo admission includes access to OUR BODY: The Universe Within as well as the Exploreum's Hands on Hall, Wharf of Wonder, Minds on Hall, Ciba Lab, Digital Journeys Virtual Theater and IMAX Dome Theater.