'Body Worlds' reveals the beauty beneath your skin

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- "Body Worlds" is the most popular exhibit in the Houston Museum of Natural Science's history, with nearly 800,000 visitors in 2006 and 2008.

Now 12 years after the last appearance, and as health and wellness is on everyone's mind, "Body Worlds" has returned with a new look at the cycle of life.

The groundbreaking exhibit reveals what lies under the skin, showing the effects of poor health and what good lifestyle choices can do for your body.

The newest iteration of the popular exhibit follows the human body from conception to the end of life.

Each body in the exhibit is preserved by plastination, a process invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens that preserves cadavers forever. The bodies look the same without skin, but each has a different story to tell.

RELATED: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at Dr. Gunther von Hagens' Lab in Germany

"Body Worlds" is the most popular exhibit in the Houston Museum of Natural Science's history. This exclusive behind-the-scenes special from 2006 takes us to Germany where Dr. Gunther von Hagens shares his plastination process, and his mission to reveal what lies beneath our skin.

"Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life" runs through May 31, 2021. If you would like to buy tickets from the Houston Museum of Natural Science, or learn more, visit hmns.org

You can check out more of the Houston Museum of Natural Science's exhibits in these past specials on the Morian Hall of Paleontology, the Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault, and the Wiess Energy Hall. It's streaming now in the ABC13 Houston app through Roku, Fire Stick, Apple or Android TV.

Prehistoric Safari: Behind the Scenes at HMNS' Paleontology Hall

These are some of the rarest prehistoric creatures ever unearthed, and they're all right here at the Houston Museum of Natural Science's Morian Hall of Paleontology. This special from 2012 takes you on a journey through time, from ancient Texas sea beds, to South Dakota's Black Hills, and to the plains of Wyoming, following discovery to design to display.

Mine to Museum: Journey Inside HMNS' Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault

The Lester and Sue Smith Gem Vault at the Houston Museum of Natural Science is a legacy of beauty created for all the world to see. This special from 2006 shows the journey from the mines in Brazil, to the gem-cutting capital of the world in Germany, and to Houston where the stones are fashioned into flawless designs.

Energy Reimagined: Behind the Scenes at HMNS' Wiess Energy Hall

Houston is the Energy Capital of the world, so it only makes sense that the world's biggest and best energy exhibit is right here at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. In this special from 2017, watch how the new Wiess Energy Hall came to life. The most creative and innovative minds in the industry started the work in Texas' Hill Country, and created an experience that visitors from 9 to 90 will love.