**************************************************
An exhibition at the Hong Kong Science Museum will provide visitors with an opportunity to discover the mysteries of human body as seen through alien eyes.
Running from tomorrow (December 8) until April 8 next year, the "Mission Earthling" is about the story of an alien who is morphed into a human body works and learn to adapt to life on Earth. Through an interactive journey, the alien visitors will be introduced to various systems of the human body, such as the sensory, reproductive, defence, digestive and circulatory systems.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition today (December 7), the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Thomas Chow, said many people might not realise that science could in fact be found every day and everywhere. The functioning of various organs of human body, for example, involved principles of biochemistry and physics.
"Simple processes like breathing, of which we are seldom aware, involve gaseous exchange necessary for our survival. When we are enjoying a variety of delicious food, our digestive tract will digest it and absorb the nutrients. We can see and hear because of the faultless functioning of various sensory organs.
"Visitors to this exhibition will receive a series of training on adaptations to life on Earth, as if they were aliens, with training results recorded in detail. Through various interesting and educational interactive exhibits, visitors will have a good grasp of the structures and systems of the human body and realise how complex it is for human beings to adapt to the unique environment on Earth," Mr Chow said.
Produced by the Scitech, Perth, Western Australia, the exhibition will allow visitors to take a "peep" into the womb and see what an unborn baby looks like with the help of a simulated ultrasound. They can also lift the flaps and examine various layers of the skin; pull out a full-length model of the whole digestive system. There are opportunities for them to explore the senses by testing their 3D and peripheral vision, hearing range, and how sensitive are their nose and tastebuds. They will also be able to investigate the mysterious ways of our minds - our memories, how our brain controls necessary functions even when we are not aware of it, and why humans might sometimes do things that may cause damage to themselves.
Admission to "Mission Earthling" exhibition is $20 with half-price concession for full-time students, people with disabilities and senior citizens aged 60 or above. There is no free admission on Wednesdays.
The Science Museum is located at 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon. It is open from 1pm to 9pm from Monday to Friday, and from 10am to 9pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. On Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year's Eve, the museum will close at 5pm. It is closed on Thursdays (except public holidays) and the first two days of the Chinese New Year.
For details of the exhibition and related programmes, please visit the Science Museum's website at http://hk.science.museum/. For enquiries, please call 2732 3232.
Ends/Thursday, December 7, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:30
NNNN
