The Little Piggie Decomposed at a Museum...

By Margaret Lyons in News on Jul 14, 2004 6:56PM

Kids. Are. Fucked. Up. Apparently, they just love them some pig carcasses. At the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, they can get their fill of six decaying piggies as part a forensic science exhibit, “CSI: Crime Scene Insects.” The project educated museum-goers about forensic entomology, and it’s a huge hit.

"Pick it up!" a group of children shouted on a recent afternoon to a museum aide who was standing over a flattened pig carcass. "Turn it over!"

That pig was in its final stage of decomposition. As the aide turned it over, the skin was all that held the skeleton in place. A few beetles, cleaning up on what little flesh remained, scurried away.

"My gosh!" gasped Madeline Karp, 6, squatting next to the carcass. "That's cool!"

The “Disappearing Pig” exhibit hasn’t caused any complaints—everyone who gets grossed out eventually becomes totally enthralled. Hey, who doesn’t love CSI? But CSI: Miami can bite it.