Is your idea of a good time walking, crawling, sliding or otherwise propelling yourself through a 3-D model of the human digestive system?
Would you like to scale a wall of material made to feel like human skin?
How about walking into a nose?
Beginning Saturday, Pacific Science Center presents “Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body,” a series of displays and hands-on activities designed for those who don’t shy away from anything sticky, slimy, smelly or just generally gross.
The “Grossology” exhibit is a collaboration between Sylvia Branzei, who wrote a book of the same title, Science World British Columbia, and Advanced Exhibits, which is a division of Advanced Animations LLC.
“Grossology is a fun way to learn about the human body with hands-on and feet-on activities,” Pacific Science Center public relations specialist Wendy Malloy said.
Some of these interactive activities, she said, include removing organs through “operations,” matching odors to their respective body parts and playing computer games to explore various functions, including how the body fights germs, breaks down food, expels trapped air and more.
Another of the exhibit’s features that might prove especially amusing for youngsters is the “Burp Machine,” which will encourage participants to burp in order to learn how acid indigestion works.
The wall of human skin will allow visitors not just to climb, but in doing so, to examine the causes of blisters, scabs and more in larger-than-life size.
“Animatronics,” or technology using electronics to animate motorized puppets, will be employed for some of the other exploration activities.
Also starting Saturday, in addition to the exhibit itself, the Science Center’s IMAX theater will present a film called, “The Human Body,” which will discuss involuntary bodily functions.
While the “Grossology” exhibit has not been at the Science Center before, Malloy mentioned another hands-on, permanent exhibit at the Science Center called “Body Works.” She explained that with “Body Works,” visitors can do such things as test their reflex reaction times or watch themselves burn calories by using Calorie Bicycles.
Of these types of exhibits and why they should appeal to the public, Malloy said, “What better way to learn about the human body and all the strange things it does?”
While visitors of any age are allowed to go through the exhibit, she said that those ages 3 and older likely would best comprehend and enjoy it.
“The exhibit not only entertains adults and children, it also teaches them about the science of the human body and how it works,” Malloy said.
Tour Du Nose offers an alternate view of the old schnoz.
Photos courtesy Advanced Animations LLC
The GI slide.
Contestants enjoy the “Let’s Play Grossology” exhibit.
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