Gunther von Hagens, the German anatomist behind the ‘Body Worlds’ exhibition, dies at 81

German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, known for his controversial "Body Worlds" exhibitions of plastinated human corpses, has died at the age of 81. His family and the Institute for Plastination, which he founded, announced his death on Friday. Von Hagens developed the plastination technique in the 1970s, which preserves bodies by replacing fluids with plastic, allowing for displays of human anatomy. The "Body Worlds" exhibition first opened in Japan in 1995 and later toured globally, drawing both fascination and criticism for its graphic nature and von Hagens' public autopsy demonstrations. He had announced in 2010 that he was living with Parkinson's disease.

Gunther von Hagens, the anatomist known for creating the "Body Worlds" exhibitions, has died at the age of 81. He passed away on Friday in a Heidelberg, Germany clinic following a brain hemorrhage, having lived with Parkinson's Disease for nearly two decades. Von Hagens developed the controversial plastination technique, which replaces fluids and fatty tissue in corpses with polymers, and his family has stated they will fulfill his wish for his own body to be plastinated. His exhibitions, which have been viewed by over 58 million people globally, have drawn objections from various groups. Born in Poland during World War Two, von Hagens grew up in East Germany before fleeing to the West, where he developed his plastination process.