The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry or OMSI to locals just got the all new Dr. Gunther von Hagens BODY WORLDS & The Brain exhibit. It seems like every Monday around the water cooler at work someone tells me that just went to see this fascinating show over the weekend, one, who I consider a good friend, was bold enough to leave a cut out of a smokers lung compared to a non-smokers lung for me on my desk as I’ve been known to take a smoke break from time to time. And believe me it as eye opening, it’s now hanging above my computer as a reminder.

Perhaps for me the most interesting part of this exhibit is the Doctor who made it all happen himself. Hagens, born in 1945 in Poland he was diagnosed with a rare bleeding disease as a child. Dealing with many doctors in his young life made and impact on him as well as an the launching of Sputnik and became a math and science fan. At 23 he was arrested and extradited to East Germany and held there for two years because he was viewed as a threat to the socialist way of life. In 1970 West Germany purchased his freedom and by 1973 he had graduated medical school. I could go on and on about this mans fascinating life but perhaps you should check out the exhibit for yourself to learn all about this fascinating doctor as well a little something about your own body.

Knowledge about the human body should not remain the secret of a privileged few, it should be freely available to everyone. -Dr. Gunther von Hagens