Channel Four made the first televised autopsy with Dr Gunther von Hagen's in 2002. There was much criticism by people who I can only guess pretended to be shocked that a programme called "The Autopsy" and had explicit warnings on at the beginning and throughout, then contained images of a real dead body. (I actually believe that most of them didn't even watch it, but disagreed with the principle of the general public being able to see a dead body. They may even disagree with

Reading about the history of anatomy, I have come across Museo La Specola! The Florence museum containing superb wax models of anatomy. And we're talking life size women pulling their skin open to show you their ribs. In wax! I even image that they might smell nicer than the usual dissection. Perhaps like the "vanilla" scented candles of the 1980s (and still in vogue in some houses smelling of cat wee). And these would make a much more welcome Christmas present for me than an

Stunned by tonight's Doctor Who episode, Flatline. A lovely concept, and thoroughly enjoyable images (and I'll try not to spoil it if you haven't seen it yet). But one in particular struck me as familiar. Here the 2D creatures have broken down a person to a 2D representation on the wall. In this case, broken down into the circulation system. Does it look similar to the image below to you too? Here is an Evelyn table. These were produced around 1640, used as a way to dissect v

Another of the wonderful, imaginative anatomy preparations from the Horniman Museum. This is one of the series of animals (bat, hedgehog, rabbit) which appears to have been prepared by grabbing it by the feet on the right hand side, and dipping it half way into fierce acid until everything is gone but the bone. Sort of like cooking a doughnut on only one side (see 1 min 34 secs into this useful video). Of course this ISN'T how this preparation was made. I'm only guessing here

I never fail to be astonished by the weird and wonderful things out on display in museums that people don't even notice. And the infinite variety of ways that zoologists and anatomists find to slice up and bottle animals. I finally got the combination of time, energy and a willing accomplice to visit the Horniman Museum. I heard about the marvellous walrus years ago, and have long wanted to visit. (If you haven't heard of it, imagine a bewildered taxidermist being supplied wi