Yesterday my mom and dad took me to the Body World Exhibit. It was a totally different experience than I expected. The television ads show you a glimpse of what you are going to see, but being there and feeling the reverence shown to the human body was unforgettable.
Real people have donated their bodies to science for the purpose to be displayed as art. Like I said, there was this reverence and respect shown for these bodies. There were hundreds of people going through the exhibit, but it was totally quiet.
Besides these "human statues", every organ in our body was on display. They showed a healthy set of lungs (a grayish color), and smoker lungs (midnight black) - if that doesn't make you quit smoking, nothing will! They showed what tumors look like (areas of pure white) in organs, what breast cancer looks like (breast tissue looks like cooked chicken meat -when cancer invades, the tissue looks like raw chicken meat) They showed the entire male and female reproductive organs. I was AMAZED at how small the uterus is. The bladder is a little smaller than your fist, and your uterus is MAYBE 1/4 of that size. I was in awe of how large a placenta is and the miracle that us women totally grow an organ out of nothing. And that it is all contained in this teeny, tiny uterus. My favorite exhibit showed actual embryos from 4 weeks to 9 weeks. By nine weeks the baby looks totally formed - fingers, toes, eyes, bum, etc. but it is the same size as a walnut!
I came away with so much gratitude for the body, especially the heart. It is the first organ formed (after 4 days) and the one that decides when life is all over. There are amazing quotes all over the exhibit about the heart. I wish I had written them all down. Basically it said that when you're happy, or in love, or grateful, your heart feels bigger and full. When you are angry, stressed, or depressed your heart feels small and tight. They have proven that you can die from a broken heart. If you are extremely sad long enough, there is a chemical released that stops your heart. The last quote talks about how optimists totally outlive pessimists. It encourages us to find happiness and joy, our hearts will thank us!
2 comments:
I loved this exhibit too! Charlie and I saw it in LA about 4 years ago on one of our first dates. I tell him that was the date when I knew I was going to marry him! How romantic, huh? But it really is an incredible exhibit and I loved all of the stuff about the heart too.
We went in Las Vegas and it was awesome! I thought it was amazing and if I get the chance I am so going to see it again.
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