Tampa, Florida-based SynDaver Labs uses a unique formula of water, salt, and other ingredients to create incredibly lifelike synthetic human tissue and organs. Paired with “bones” constructed by 3-D printers, workers at SynDaver carefully sew the fake body parts together with mint dental floss.

These exceptional synthetic cadavers are meant to inspire more empathy compared to traditional medical training devices. They can be made to breathe or bleed, and are customizable for a variety of needs. The firm’s least expensive synthetic cadaver costs $45,000. That price tag might seem steep, but compared to human cadavers, these models can reduce costs over time. Crucially, they can be used repeatedly, and broken parts can be replaced.

In the video above, Atlas Obscura takes a closer look inside the facility where SynDaver’s synthetic cadavers are made. To learn more about SynDaver, read our recent feature story.

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