College buys fake bodies for anatomy, physiology courses

The University of Northern Iowa has purchased several artificial bodies to help provide undergraduate students with a better understanding of human bones, muscle and tissue.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the school recently purchased four synthetic cadavers. The $150,000 bill for the lifelike bodies was funded by a grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.

The cadavers are made from materials that mimic the mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of live tissue.

A biology instructor says former students have said that a more hands-on experience, preferably with human cadavers, would have better prepared them for their current studies in medicine, dentistry and physical therapy.