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Photo By Geoff Raker
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Wash your hands! That might not be the most important nugget to take away from Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body, but it's a point that's emphasized. Repeatedly.
If you pick your nose, wash your hands.
If you play with feces, wash your hands.
There's so much hand-washing going on in this clever traveling exhibit, currently on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center, that I might just have developed a new obsessive-compulsive tick. I'm now terrified to touch any part of my body without properly disinfecting my hands afterwards. I haven't felt this dirty since I set foot inside a seedy strip club in New Orleans.
But getting in touch with the nitty-gritty is the whole point behind Grossology. In the mid-'90s, scientist-turned-author Sylvia Carol Branzei-Velasquez developed the idea of teaching science through gross things. You know, -- vomit, burps, farts, pee, scabs, snot. Yummy stuff, huh? Oh, and let's not forget poop. Kids love poop. (Quite a few adults love it, too!)
Tapping into the rampant sophomoric interest found in all things disgusting, Branzei-Velasquez has demonstrated a booming market for good crap. She has parlayed the original Grossology title into a series of like-minded books, a calendar, a CD-ROM and the interactive exhibition now at the Museum Center.
With the exception of its subject matter, Grossology is very Disney-esque in intent. A trio of animatronic figures deliver key facts and add a bit of, um, character throughout the exhibition. (I would have thought diarrhea had enough character all on its own, but not Branzei-Velasquez.) "Her Grossness," doing her best Cruella De Ville impersonation, waits at the entrance. "Nigel Nose-It-All," a giant water faucet personified, dispenses tidbits about the nose, along with the occasional drop of snot. And over at "Gas Attack," resting atop a giant pile of doo-doo, is a pig not unlike Wilbur of Charlotte's Web fame after ingesting a few too many burritos. Ay, caramba!
As, uh, cute as these none-too-beauteous creatures are, their draw is hampered by the various games and activities awaiting children's grubby little paws. "Up Your Nose" offers a Jack-in-the-box mentality as children shoot irritants (actually white balls) into a larger-than-life nose, prompting it to sneeze. At "Poo to You," where it's all about poop, there's an indoor playground that allows you to crawl through a giant digestive tract. Woo-hoo! Who wouldn't want to do that?
Is it any surprise that "Toot Toot" -- more commonly known as the fart station -- is so popular? Nothing screams sophomoric grossness like cutting the cheese. With some rubber tubing and blasts of air, children (and adults, if they so desire) can make all the disgusting, foul noises they want without fear of being grounded for a month.
The exhibit might have actually gone too far with "Urine: The Game." With some shoot-em-up computer action, players must remove waste material from the blood -- just like real urine does! The confusing graphics give "Urine: The Game" about as much appeal as an actual beaker of pee.
Grossology's charm comes from the way it teaches. Much like Sesame Street, the exhibition uses simple words to talk to kids without being condescending. That approach makes the exhibition entertaining for adults as well:
· Pertaining to vomit: "It gets rid of the stuff that your body thinks could be dangerous to you." And I always thought it was God's way of punishing me.
· "The stuff your body can't use pushes on into the large intestine, your poop factory." Even though I have long known what my large intestine does, I can honestly say that I have never once thought of it as my "poop factory."
· "The rectum is usually empty until just before you dookie." Hee-hee. They said dookie.
It's a shame though that the layout of the exhibit blocks some of the entertaining, colorful and informative bubbles. There's a whole lot more I felt I could have learned about my gas issues if it hadn't been for the giant honker (literally) and pinball games obstructing my view.
Hey, but at least I know now to wash my hands after touching any of my 2,000 body parts.
GROSSOLOGY: THE (IMPOLITE) SCIENCE OF THE HUMAN BODY is on display at the Cincinnati Museum Center through Sept. 2.
"Nigel Nose-It-All"
