Human Anatomy

Barbara J. Feldman

Human anatomy is the study of the human body. The word "anatomy" derives from Greek words meaning "to cut up" because early scientists studied anatomy through dissections. On the Internet, however, no knives are needed. Simply sit back, and click.

BBC Science & Nature: Human Body

4 stars

With games, interactive anatomy maps, and quick facts, BBC presents organs, muscles, the skeleton, nervous system and puberty. As usual, my favorite clicks are the Flash games: put your organs in their rightful place, put together a skeleton, or challenge your senses. Warning: some parents or teachers may find the anatomically correct models, and the blunt talk in the Puberty module not appropriate for their homes or classrooms.

E-Anatomy.org: Anatomy Atlas

5 stars

To create the interactive Anatomy Atlas, more than 1500 slices from CT (computed tomography) and MR (magnetic resonance) scans were selected, labeled and combined with medical illustrations. The site is sure to mesmerize both high-school students and adults. To move through the cross-sections, push the blue bar (up or down) over the static image in the left-hand nav menu. With free registration, you'll also have access to the same info in high-resolution full-screen mode.

Innerbody: Human Anatomy Online

5 stars

Start by choosing one of ten tours: skeletal, digestive, muscular and so on. To navigate around the images, click on the colored squares (called pick points) to display a label and additional annotation. Some pick points also display a magnifying glass, indicating an additional image is available. To return from the new image to the original, use your browser back button. After the tours, you'll find more great clicks in the Animation and Tutorial sections.

Kids Health: My Body

4 stars

Designed for elementary and middle-school kids, this site is fun and noisy. Click on the girl's heart to hear it beating, or over her intestines for a ... never mind. You'll have to visit to find out! But this Kids Health site is not all funny noises, click on any of the menu items (bone, brain, skin, teeth, etc.) to jump to an educational article. If the nav doesn't seem to work, you will need to disable your popup blocker for the entire site. Other related topics include Growing Up, Dealing with Feelings, and Staying Healthy.

MEDtropolis: Virtual Body

5 stars

The Virtual Body (or "El Cuerpo Virtual" in Spanish) is my bilingual anatomy pick of the day. Suitable for all ages, it offers narrated multimedia anatomy lessons, animated illustrations, and educational games such as Build a Skeleton and Organize Your Organs. The site covers four anatomical topics: the brain, skeleton, heart and digestive tract. Within each topic, my favorite click is the Narrated Tour (sometimes called a Guided Tour.)