Google Body: As Cool As It Gets

I'm spending today (and the week) playing catch up.  I've really let my PLN slip this year,  and I think it shows in my librarianship, though the bosses seem pretty happy!

Anyway, while playing around online, I ran across Google Body, which Google released in December.  You will need Firefox 4 or Google Chrome 10 for it to work.

Basically,  it's Google Earth for the body.  It loads with a  1) 3D rotating computer-generated body (you can choose male or female), with layers for 2) muscles, 3) skeleton, 4) organs, vascular system and nerves/brain .  Tools allow the user to 5) zoom in on specific elements, 6) add pins and highlight (I highlighted the stomach here), hide/unhide body parts,  with links to 7) specific systems, muscles, organs, etc.

And,  just because we're teachers and we have to ask,  8) here's a picture of the anatomically correct male parts. I think Google does as good a job as possible removing any titter-causing elements.  But, hey, 7th graders are 7th graders, and they're going to titter no matter what!  (No similar worries with female mammaries, I might add).

This will also allow them to take very specific screen grabs to illustrate reports and research, instead of hunting for generic images.

I can't wait to show this to our elementary and science teachers tomorrow.  I also think students will love playing around with it, and may even learn something in the process!

(click on photos for larger view)