Dr. Gunther von Hagens was a German anatomist and the inventor of the plastination technique

Dr. Gunther von Hagens was a German anatomist and the inventor of the plastination technique

¨     Dr. Gunther von Hagens was a German anatomist and the inventor of the plastination technique.

¨     He died on 24 July 2026 at the age of 81 in Heidelberg, Germany, following a cerebral haemorrhage.

¨     He invented plastination in 1977.

¨     Plastination is a preservation technique in which body fluids are replaced with liquid plastic for the long-term preservation of anatomical specimens.

¨     The technique is widely used for anatomical education and research.

¨     The Body Worlds exhibitions were first launched in Japan in 1995.

¨     These exhibitions feature plastinated human bodies to educate the public about human anatomy.

¨     More than 58 million people worldwide have visited the Body Worlds exhibitions.

¨     He founded the Plastinarium in Guben, Germany, in 2006.

¨     He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2008.

¨     Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement, speech, and motor control.

¨  Exam facts: Plastination was invented in 1977; Body Worlds began in 1995 (Japan); Plastinarium was established in 2006 (Guben, Germany); Dr. Gunther von Hagens died in 2026 at Heidelberg, Germany.