Gunther von Hagens, Creator of Body Worlds, Dies at 81

German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, the creator of the internationally renowned Body Worlds exhibitions and inventor of the plastination technique, has died at the age of 81. His family confirmed his passing, saying he had long wished for his own body to be preserved through plastination following his death.

Von Hagens developed the plastination process in the 1970s, a technique that replaces water and fat in human and animal tissue with polymers, allowing bodies to be permanently preserved for educational and scientific purposes. The innovation transformed anatomical teaching and became the foundation of the Body Worlds exhibitions, which attracted millions of visitors worldwide.

His exhibitions, featuring dissected human and animal bodies displayed in lifelike poses, generated both widespread admiration and intense criticism. While supporters praised the displays for improving public understanding of human anatomy and health, critics questioned the ethical implications of exhibiting preserved human remains. Despite the controversy, von Hagens consistently maintained that all bodies used in the exhibitions had been donated with informed consent.

Von Hagens publicly revealed in 2010 that he had been living with Parkinson's disease but remained involved in promoting his work. His family said they would honour his longstanding wish by having his body plastinated, although it has not yet been decided where it will eventually be displayed.

His death marks the end of a remarkable and often controversial career that reshaped anatomical education and public engagement with the human body. Through his pioneering preservation technique and globally recognised exhibitions, von Hagens left a lasting impact on both medical science and public understanding of anatomy.