Bodies: The Exhibition

If you live in New York, you've seen the advertisements. A human face staring out at you with eyes, but no skin. Muscles, but no movement. It might even creep you out. But Bodies: The Exhibition is a fantastic learning experience and an opportunity that should not be missed.

To actually be up close and personal with real, exposed human bodies and organs is a rare thing for anyone outside the medical profession. The exhibit is extremely long and detailed, teaching visitors about all facets of human anatomy in engaging and inventive ways. After you see the comparison between a healthy lung and a smoker's lung, you will never look at a cigarette in the same way again.

On a lighter note, one thing I noticed about the exhibit struck me as very funny. All the full bodies on display are male until you reach the section about fat in the body, and you see a nicely cross-sectioned woman. As if women were not self-conscious enough! Meanwhile, almost every male body is put in a positive pose such as throwing a baseball or composing a symphony. There may be some latent sexism in here...

But again, I can't recommend this exhibit highly enough for anyone and everyone. Especially if you have an interest in what the human body is really made of and how it works.