If you get squirmy during horror movies, you probably shouldn’t think about going to an exhibit that could arguably be more intense than the law classes’ trips to the morgue. But on Oct. 12, I swallowed my fear, buckled up and headed to The Body Worlds 2 and Three Pound Gem exhibit at the Tech Museum, which included presentations of real human bodies preserved through the process of plastination.

Dr. Gunther von Hagens, an anatomist who created both the exhibit and the process of plastination, patented his invention in 1978. “I was looking at a collection of specimens embedded in plastic,” he said in a document about the exhibit. “It was the most advanced preservation technique then, where the specimens rested deep inside a transparent plastic block.” Von Hagens started to experiment with different substances, and finally came up with the technique used in the exhibit—a process in which resins and elastomers stop the decomposition of body tissues and organ by extracting body fluids and soluble fats.

Black curtains and ambient lighting decorated the showcases. Spotlights focused in on the first part of the exhibit, a display of human muscles. There were arm and leg bones with signs explaining each body part in a clear case. There were also complete bodies of men and children on display. Visitors could purchase listening devices for $4 to learn more about each part of the exhibit.

Several larger glass cases displayed bodies that were doing actions like playing baseball, dancing or doing yoga. Visitors whispered comments throughout the tours like “Wow, our bodies can do that?” and “Unbelievable.”

In another room, there was a complete presentation of the inner organs and processes of the body, including several cases of fetuses ranging from 10 to 29 weeks old. One particular glass case was the focal point of this section—a woman standing upright with her uterus open, showing the development of a baby. On the side, there were displays of organs including the heart, lungs, pancreas, intestines and liver colored with special dyes to emphasize the different arteries.

The main part of the exhibit was the Three Pound Gem—a real, preserved brain. It stood on a revolving platform in a tall glass case. Unlike some of the other organs, this one was completely healthy and fully developed.

While the main purpose of the exhibit was probably to educate visitors about the human body, it also served as a warning to treat our bodies carefully. Some cases showed the effects of smoking, cancer, obesity and even constipation. In one glass box, there was a healthy lung, a smoker’s lung and coal miner’s lung. The display showed how tar can damage the respiratory organ. The smoker and coal miner’s lungs were completely black and rock-like from the tar and coal-dust particles.

The exhibit was not just educational and interesting, but also taught me about the importance of taking care of your body. The exhibit runs through Jan. 26, 2008.

Tickets are $15 with a student ID, and visiting hours are daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.