At the age of 81, German anatomist and scientist Gunther von Hagens has passed away. He became widely known to the public for developing the innovative method of body plastination and for his controversial traveling exhibition, Body Worlds. According to the Institute for Plastination, the cause of death was a brain hemorrhage.
Von Hagens invented the unique technology for preserving body tissues in 1977 while working at Heidelberg University. The process involves removing fluid and fat from a deceased body and replacing them with special resins, silicone, and epoxy. This method lends durability to tissues and allows bodies to be presented in realistic, dynamic poses. Since 1995, his exhibition Body Worlds—featuring plastinated corpses engaged in playing chess, athletic activities, and other daily postures—achieved global acclaim and attracted over 50 million visitors.
According to the author, the project aimed to “democratize anatomy” and break taboos surrounding death. However, the use of embryos and animals among the exhibits, alongside concerns regarding the provenance of the corpses, made the exhibition a subject of intense ethical debate and criticism.
In accordance with the scientist’s wishes, his own body will also undergo the plastination process. During his lifetime, von Hagens stated that he wanted his body to be displayed in a museum or at the entrance of the exhibition after his death; however, it remains unknown precisely where the anatomist’s plastinated remains will be exhibited.
