Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist who invented plastination and created the Body Worlds exhibitions, has died aged 81. He passed away in a hospital in Heidelberg on July 24th, one day after suffering a brain haemorrhage. Von Hagens had been living with Parkinson's disease since 2008. His institute announced his death with deep sadness, calling him the inventor of plastination and creator of the famous travelling exhibitions.
Von Hagens developed plastination in 1977 while working at the University of Heidelberg. The process involves removing bodily fluids and fats, then replacing them with silicone and resins. This technique allows bodies to be displayed in lifelike, upright poses without decaying. From 1995, his plastinated bodies were shown in travelling exhibitions worldwide. Some bodies were cut open to show internal organs, while others were posed playing chess or exercising. Over 50 million people visited these shows.
Von Hagens frequently said he wanted his own body to be plastinated after his death. A spokesperson confirmed his body will definitely be preserved using his own technique. He founded the Plastinarium museum in Guben, Germany in 2006. He ran the exhibitions with his wife Angelina Whalley. They wanted to help people learn about anatomy and understand the human body better.
Sources: theguardian.com
The words in bold are from the article.
| 1. anatomist | a. established |
| 2. invented | b. created |
| 3. passed away | c. often |
| 4. suffering | d. verify |
| 5. decaying | e. experiencing |
| 6. posed | f. rotting |
| 7. preserved | g. kept |
| 8. founded | h. positioned |
| 9. frequently | i. died |
| 10. confirm | j. medical specialist |
1.j 2.b 3.i 4.e 5.f 6.h 7.g 8.a 9.c 10.d