Kids explore burps, vomit and gas at ‘Grossology’ exhibit at Carnegie
PITTSBURGH – Poor Nigel Nose-It-All doesn’t look very good. The giant, teary-eyed guy who’s shaped like a faucet is dressed in a robe and pajamas, carries a tissue and drips snot. Gross! Exactly the point of the Carnegie Science Center’s newest traveling exhibit called “Grossology: The Impolite Science of the Human Body.’
But if the idea of this 9-foot-tall, animatronic exhibit fascinates you, then you’re ready to tour “Grossology,’ which includes such creatures as Burp Man and Her Grossness. They help visitors explore such stimulating material as mucus, earwax, vomit, pimples, burps and odors.
“This is probably the grossest show in town,’ joked Sneddon Bennington, executive director of the Pittsburgh attraction, located along the North Shore next to Heinz Field. “…But it’s also an opportunity to reach a broad audience.’
The exhibit, situated on the science center’s second floor, takes what’s gross about the human body and uses it to showcase the science: why you vomit, how allergies affect the sinuses, why teen-agers get pimples, how urine is the body’s way of removing waste from blood and why you stink.
In fact, Bennington recommended the exhibit as an excellent way for parents to talk to their children about these subjects.
That’s because “Grossology’ takes the backdoor approach. “Grossology’ is based on the work of author Sylvia Branzei, a former teacher and microbiologist, who has written such books as “Grossology,’ “Animal Grossology,’ “Grossology Begins at Home’ and “Virtual Grossology.’ A Michigan native, she taught science in California schools, where her students learned to make fake snot, blood and wounds.
“This is science in disguise,’ Branzei explained in a press release issued by the Carnegie Science Center. “If we teach students in their own words, they’ll understand better and actually learn something.’
Tom Flaherty, director of exhibits for the science center, agreed, “In order to get them interested in the science, you have to get them interested in the venue. When you look at each exhibit, you see a lot of science about the human body displayed in a unique way.”
“Grossology’ includes such exhibits as:
– “Nigel Nose-It-All,” which teaches visitors about colds, allergies, runny noses, mucus and nose trivia.
– “Tour du Nose.” Visitors enter a giant nose where they can learn about nose hair, sinuses, the septum, eustachian tubes, mucus production and tear ducts. As they walk into the exhibit, the nose awakens and emits a loud sneeze that produces a rush of air.
– Climbing Wall, which is a fiberglass replica of human skin featuring pimples, warts, wounds, hair and moles. Visitors learn about skin as they climb across the 12-foot-wide-by-9-foot high wall.
– Burp Man. Visitors help him drink from a 3-foot can as they pump the liquid into his stomach. Pressure increases until he releases a giant burp. Learn about gulping, burping and a growling stomach.
– Gas Attack. This features two pinball games that teach visitors about which foods create gas in their bodies. Foods creating more gas score higher. For example, meat is 100 points, onions are 1,500, milk is 2,000 and cheese is 3,000. The games are positioned in front of an animated pig sitting atop a pile of feces.
– GI Slide is designed for young visitors, who slide and crawl through a giant 3-D model of the digestive system from mouth to large intestine. They can learn about how these parts function as they work their way through the exhibit.
– Up Your Nose, which shoots pollen balls into a nose, causing it to sneeze.
Children will also have an opportunity to learn how the nose acts as a filtering device.
– Urine: the Game, a special video game that teaches visitors how the kidneys remove waste from blood.
– YU Stink, where visitors must match body odors with the area of the body they came from – arm pits, lower intestines, mouth and feet.
– Toot Toot, where visitors create tooting sounds in an exhibit that teaches them about gas.
– Her Grossness, which is another animated character. She greets visitors to the “Grossology’ exhibit and reminds them that it’s an icky, slimy, crusty, smelly world.
“Everyone’s body makes gross stuff,’ Her Grossness tells the children. “That’s part of the body’s functions.’
“Grossology’ is sponsored by Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and is a collaboration between Science World, Advanced Exhibits and Branzei.
“Grossology’ will be at the science center through March 23.
For more information about the exhibit, call 312-237-3400 or visit the Web site at CarnegieScienceCenter.org.
More information on the “Grossology’ exhibit is also available at the Web site www.grossology.org.