A bathroom is a place of pleasure, a relaxing environment, but also fun; not only a place for bodily functions that can often be a starting point to address different topics, such as Science, Technology, Art, Design, and History. Without excluding hacks, viral phenomena, and more or less funny news.
So welcome to this blog to explore the bathroom from different points of view trying to break down the taboos about the place most people are ashamed of, but everybody attends.
So have a seat!
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27 January 2025Unco Inc. and their poop-themed items
The Japanese tradition of fukubukuro (福袋), which translates to “lucky bags,” is a New Year’s custom where retailers offer sealed bags filled with mystery items at substantial discounts, typically 50% or more off the retail value. The term combines two Japanese words: fuku (福) meaning “good fortune” or “luck,” and fukuro (袋) meaning “bag” (which becomes bukuro due to a Japanese phonetic phenomenon called rendaku).
This practice is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, stemming from the belief that starting the year with new items brings good fortune—reflected in the saying “there is fortune in leftovers” (残り物には福がある, nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru). Beginning January 1st, eager shoppers often line up for hours to secure these mystery bags, which can contain anything from clothing and beauty products to electronics and gourmet food.
While traditionally focused on physical goods, fukubukuro has evolved to include “experience” bags with event tickets or dining experiences, and some retailers even offer transparent bags where customers can preview the contents. Beyond being a cultural phenomenon, it serves as a clever marketing strategy for retailers to clear previous year’s inventory while driving New Year shopping excitement. The concept has become so successful that it has influenced retail practices beyond Japan’s borders.
This tradition might seem peculiar to outsiders, as you agree to pay for a bundle of unknown items. However, what makes these deals attractive is that everything inside typically belongs to some popular merchandise category. This is how companies like dark kawaii fashion brand Ank Rouge, Akihabara anime superstore Animate, and coffeehouse Starbucks convince fans to purchase their lucky bags. It’s not so much a question of whether you’ll be lucky or unlucky, but what specific sort of good luck will manifest itself inside the bag.
However, as reported here, the Unko Fukubukuro, or Poop Lucky Bag, promised to include their bags with items that are variations on the theme of poop.
Should one wonder about the origins of such a peculiar lucky bag, the answer lies with Unco Inc., a rather distinctive fashion and accessory company situated in Yokohama. With both an Unco Online Shop and a physical store, the company piqued curiosity about the contents of their 2,000-yen (US$12.97) Poop Lucky Bag.
Exploring the bag, you’ll find an Unco Inc. sticker. While the characters うんこ are Romanized as “unko,” the company’s official name is “Unco,” potentially a clever wordplay bridging the Japanese unko (meaning “poop”) and the English word “company.”
What followed was what Unco Inc. categorizes as a “jacquard mini handkerchief,” though you would simply describe it as “a hand towel adorned with a poop.” The psychological implication was that using such an item might paradoxically make one’s hands feel less clean.
Emerging next were three sticker sheets saying: “Golden poop!”, “Rainbow poop!”, and “A whole lot of poop!” These were succeeded by a trio of wristbands: one featuring poops, another displaying the characters for unko repeating in an endless cycle, and the third showcasing Unco Inc.’s mascot character Unko-tan. It is worth noting that Unko-tan is not Japan’s inaugural anthropomorphized poop character.
Perhaps the most unusual item in the Poop Lucky Bag was the “Go To Silent Card,” designed to enable silent communication about one’s current need to suppress bodily functions. Its potential utility might be discreetly requesting permission to jump ahead in a bathroom queue.
The most curious item was undoubtedly the Poop Mineral Water. The water in the bottle originates from the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture, constituting ordinary mineral water housed in a poop-shaped container.
The final item to emerge from the Poop Luck Bag was, however, a regular towel. No thematic scent. Upon full unfolding, however, regardless of washing frequency, thick, dark streaks of Unco/unko would permanently grace the otherwise pristine-looking towel.
Individually priced, these items would total slightly over 4,300 yen, rendering the Poop Lucky Bag an exceptional value with savings exceeding 50 percent. Moreover, should the “I need to poop” card prevent even a single potential embarrassment, it would unquestionably constitute money well spent. [...]
20 January 2025Japan’s recycling innovation
Japan has launched the world’s first toilet paper made from recycled disposable diapers, marking a significant breakthrough in sustainable waste management. The innovative product is now available at seven retail locations in Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan, offering an environmentally conscious solution to the country’s waste challenges.
As reported here, the groundbreaking initiative, launched by the city of Shibushi in partnership with the neighboring town of Osaki, began in April 2024 with the implementation of a specialized diaper waste separation program. The two municipalities successfully collected 98 tons of diapers and other hygiene products in their first year. These materials undergo a rigorous sanitization, bleaching, and pulping process before being blended with recycled paper at Poppy Paper Company’s facility in Fukuoka Prefecture.
The initial production run has yielded impressive results, with 30,000 rolls manufactured in just two months. Marketed as Shibushi-Osaki rolls, the product is being sold at an accessible price of $2.70 per dozen, making it competitive with conventional toilet paper options.
Satoshi Yoshida from Poppy Paper’s sales department highlighted the strategic importance of this initiative: “This initiative could help diversify the ways to secure raw materials, especially as used paper supplies are expected to decline with the rise of paperless systems and a shrinking population,” he told the Mainichi, Japan’s oldest English-language newspaper.
The project aligns with Japan’s broader sustainability goals, as emphasized by Takumi Obo, spokesperson for the Osaki Municipal Government’s SDGs Promotion Council: “Please support this eco-friendly product, which aims to promote a sustainable society by reusing local resources.”
The innovation represents just one potential application for recycled diapers. Recent reports have also documented their successful use as a sand substitute in concrete manufacturing, demonstrating superior strength properties while offering a more cost-effective alternative to traditional materials. [...]
13 January 2025The surprising benefits and widespread practice of coprophagy among animals
Animal poop serves multiple biological functions beyond waste elimination. As explained here, in an issue of Animal Behaviour, three researchers reveal how this substance provides crucial nutrition and serves various ecological purposes when consumed. Their comprehensive study documents coprophagy—the consumption of feces—in more than 150 vertebrate species, demonstrating its widespread importance across the animal kingdom.
During their research at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C., evolutionary biologists Elaine J. Power and Sally Bornbusch, along with zoo clinical nutritionist Erin Kendrick, discovered fascinating patterns of fecal consumption. “I had no idea how many baby animals ate their mom’s poop to get microbes to help populate the gut,” says Power, now retired in Eugene, Ore. This behavior appears in diverse species, from koalas and desert tortoises to ostriches, suggesting its crucial role in early development.
Some animals have evolved to depend entirely on coprophagy for survival. Pikas, small mountain-dwelling mammals, endure harsh winters by consuming nutrient-rich yak droppings, which provide essential sustenance when other food sources are scarce. Cavefish, confined to their underground habitat, survive primarily on bat guano, which serves as their primary nutrient source. According to Power, feces can be “a wonderful source of nutrition” despite the inherent risks of disease and parasites.
Laboratory rats present a particularly striking example, deriving approximately 40% of their total nutritional intake from coprophagy. This behavior isn’t merely optional—rats prevented from practicing coprophagy develop severe vitamin B12 deficiencies, making this a crucial consideration in laboratory animal care.
For herbivorous mammals like rabbits, coprophagy compensates for their simpler digestive system. Unlike ruminants such as cows, which possess a multi-chambered stomach for breaking down complex plant materials, these smaller animals must pass food through their digestive system twice to extract maximum nutrition. The process involves a specialized organ called the caecum, which produces nutrient-rich, soft fecal masses. A recent study even captured images of a capybara—the world’s largest rodent—contorting itself into a yoga-like pose to consume these caecal pellets directly.
Coprophagy also plays a crucial role in parenting strategies. Swift parents consume their hatchlings’ fecal sacs, likely serving both sanitary and hydration purposes. Similarly, lactating black bear mothers in their winter dens practice coprophagy, which Power suggests helps maintain both den hygiene and maternal hydration during the critical early weeks of cub care.
While the research team focused on non-human animals, biochemist and historian Sachi Sri Kantha from Gifu University, Japan, has documented human applications of coprophagy. Traditional medicine in various cultures has incorporated processed fecal matter for therapeutic purposes. Modern Western medicine has refined this approach through fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), using carefully screened fecal material to treat various gastrointestinal conditions—though administered via colonoscopy rather than orally. Regarding claims of recreational coprophagy, Sri Kantha remains skeptical, noting, “Some people will do anything for money.”
This research illuminates how a substance often viewed with disgust plays vital roles in animal survival, parenting, and even modern medicine, challenging our preconceptions about waste in natural systems. [...]
6 January 2025Understanding the real risks
While toilet seats can harbor bacteria, scientific research shows they typically have far fewer germs than many other common surfaces we encounter daily, like kitchen sponges, smartphones, or doorknobs. As reported here, most toilet seats contain around 50 bacteria per square inch, which is significantly lower than many other household surfaces.
Common microorganisms found on toilet seats may include various bacteria and viruses, but it’s important to understand that merely sitting on a toilet seat rarely leads to infections. Here’s what you should know about common concerns:
Urinary Tract Infections
UTIs are primarily caused by bacteria from one’s digestive tract, not from toilet seats. The main risk factors include poor wiping technique (wiping back to front), holding urine for too long, dehydration, and sexual activity. It is extremely rare to contract a UTI from a toilet seat.
Bacterial Vaginosis
This condition occurs when there’s an imbalance in the normal vaginal flora. It is not contracted from toilet seats. Risk factors include douching, multiple sexual partners, and changes in vaginal pH. The condition is characterized by unusual discharge and sometimes an unpleasant odor.
Prostatitis
While bacterial prostatitis is indeed a serious condition affecting men, it is not contracted from toilet seats. It typically develops from urinary tract infections or other bacterial infections that spread to the prostate.
STDs
It’s important to note that sexually transmitted diseases cannot be transmitted through toilet seats. These infections require direct contact with infected bodily fluids or skin-to-skin contact. The viruses and bacteria that cause STDs cannot survive long outside the human body.
Candidiasis (Yeast infections)
Yeast infections are caused by an overgrowth of Candida, which is normally present in the body. They are not contracted from toilet seats. Risk factors include antibiotic use, diabetes, pregnancy, and compromised immune systems.
Prevention Tips:
Practice good hygiene and proper wiping technique (front to back)
Use toilet seat covers when available in public restrooms
Wash hands thoroughly after using the bathroom
Keep your home toilet clean with regular cleaning
Consider using an antibacterial wipe on public toilet seats before use
While maintaining good bathroom hygiene is important, it’s equally important to understand that toilet seats are not a significant source of disease transmission when basic hygiene practices are followed. [...]
30 December 2024Concert-goers rush to buy $75 rock-styled diapers
At concerts, people are turned off by fans singing off-key with the performance, but they are also put off by worries about their safety and a lack of room to stand. Finding time to use the restroom, of course, is the biggest problem for most people.
It is impossible to “not” enjoy a drink while shouting at the top of your lungs without periodically having to urinate. Having said that, the “fear of losing out” in even one moment is quite understandable! This seems like an unsolvable issue, doesn’t it?
Well, not anymore, according to this company, which is now providing concertgoers with “adult nappies”!
As reported here, The New York Post claims that the beverage company Liquid Death teamed up with Depend, a diaper company, to create a distinctive product that even matched its purpose in terms of design: a black diaper featuring a “rock ‘n roll design,” spikes, chains, and other elements. On social media, a promotional post was shared and quickly gained popularity.
Believe it or not, this unique item is reportedly priced at USD 75. The ‘limited-edition nappy’ is ‘an amazing revolutionary way to assist fans as you stay in the safety of the pit,’ according to the New York Post.
The innovative product sold out within just 24 hours of launch, suggesting strong demand from concertgoers. The diaper isn’t just a simple absorbent garment; it features specialized technology that contains “recycled Liquid Death” to neutralize odors and is designed to prevent leakage even during vigorous movement in the mosh pit. Social media reactions have ranged from enthusiastic to humorous, with one 50-year-old concert enthusiast commenting, “As a 50-year-old who still frequents the pit, let me just say that I look forward to purchasing these from my local CVS.” The product appears to be addressing a genuine pain point for concertgoers who often wait hours to secure prime viewing spots and risk losing their position with bathroom breaks.
The Instagram account Liquid Death was used for the post. More than 9,000 people liked the post when it was shared. Netizens rushed to the post as soon as the word spread, and it immediately became viral. [...]
23 December 2024How ordinary restroom scenes foreshadow extraordinary moments of death and chaos
Cinema symbolism may reveal much about a movie, including its underlying messages and themes. Even if the symbolism that results is unintentional, Quentin Tarantino, a passionate student of cinema, knows how to use visual narrative to do just that. In order to examine the director’s tendency to contrast the ordinary with the extraordinary, as reported here, we need to focus on a few of the metaphors he used in Pulp Fiction, especially those involving restrooms and toilets.
More than three significant scenes in Pulp Fiction take place in restrooms, proving that a thing is not a symbol until it appears three times. The man with the gun is hiding in the restroom. Mia is snorting coke in the restroom. Fabienne and Butch are having showers. And the entire film features Vincent Vega essentially taking shits.
The video in this article, however, claims that all of these restroom scenes occur before significant deaths in the movie. The guy jumps out of the bathroom guns blazing, fails to hit either Vince or Jules, and instead gets pumped full of lead himself. Jules naturally develops a conscience regarding his work after Marvin is later shot in the face.
After coming out of the restroom, Mia spends an enjoyable evening with Vince. Later, she discovers heroin while searching through his pockets and has an overdose—all while Vince is having a self-reflective moment in front of his bathroom mirror. Throughout the film, whenever Vince takes shits in the bathroom, something bad happens shortly thereafter, including Pumpkin and Honey Bunny robbing the diner and his very own death.
Therefore, it appears that all of these toilet scenes follow a pattern: toilet, death, toilet, death, toilet, death, etc. Given their proximity in the story, it appears that Tarantino is attempting to make a point about extremism (death) and mundanity (bathroom), but what exactly is he trying to convey?
The restrooms in Pulp Fiction seem to symbolize the “ultimate isolation” because they are among the few locations where characters (and ourselves) really are alone, and death is a metaphor for the “ultimate loneliness.” However, even though Butch was alone in the locker room, remember that locker rooms are essentially large restrooms with lockers.
Whether or not this symbolism was part of Tarantino’s original plan, it still makes you consider how much more powerful your own story may be when you add a little bit of your own.
This bathroom-death pattern also speaks to a larger theme in Tarantino’s work: the sudden intrusion of violence into mundane moments. The bathroom, perhaps the most ordinary and private space in modern life, becomes a recurring harbinger of extraordinary events. This juxtaposition serves to heighten the impact of the violence that follows—we’re caught off guard precisely because we’re in such a commonplace setting.
Moreover, the bathroom scenes often serve as moments of vulnerability for the characters. Vincent Vega, despite being a skilled hitman, repeatedly lets his guard down in these moments, ultimately leading to his death. Mia’s cocaine use in the bathroom at Jack Rabbit Slim’s foreshadows her later overdose. Even the anonymous gunman hiding in the bathroom of Brett’s apartment demonstrates how these private spaces can transform into sites of ambush and violence.
The bathroom motif also connects to the film’s broader exploration of control and its loss. Characters enter bathrooms in control of their situations but often emerge to find their circumstances dramatically altered. This pattern mirrors the film’s larger narrative structure, where characters’ carefully laid plans frequently unravel in unexpected ways.
There’s also an interesting parallel between these bathroom scenes and the film’s non-linear narrative structure. Just as a bathroom break interrupts the flow of daily life, these scenes often mark points where the film’s timeline jumps or shifts, contributing to the movie’s distinctive chronological complexity. This suggests that these moments aren’t just symbolic on a thematic level but also serve a crucial structural purpose in the film’s storytelling.
However, there are other movies in which the bathroom is used as a symbol; here are some:
The Shining (1980): The bathroom serves as a space of supernatural revelation and danger. The famous scene in Room 237’s bathroom where a beautiful young woman transforms into a decomposing elderly corpse represents decay beneath beauty. Later, the bathroom becomes the space where Jack Torrance communicates with Delbert Grady’s ghost.
Fight Club (1999): The bathroom of Lou’s Tavern becomes the birthplace of Fight Club itself, symbolizing the dirty, hidden aspect of civilization where primal urges can emerge. The sterile corporate bathrooms also serve as spaces where the narrator questions his existence.
Trainspotting (1996): The infamous “Worst Toilet in Scotland” scene uses the bathroom as both literal and metaphorical rock bottom, but also as a space of surreal escape when the main character dives into the toilet bowl to retrieve his drugs.
The Shape of Water (2017): The bathroom is used as a space of transformation and sanctuary. The protagonist floods her bathroom nightly to create an aquatic environment where she can be with the amphibian creature, making it a space where the ordinary becomes magical.
Parasite (2019): The basement bathroom in the Kim family’s semi-basement apartment serves as a powerful symbol of their social status. The flood scene becomes a literal representation of how sewage (symbolizing their social position) backs up into their lives.
Full Metal Jacket (1987): The bathroom becomes the site of Private Pyle’s mental breakdown and eventual suicide, representing the breaking point between military discipline and human fragility.
The Godfather (1972): The restaurant bathroom scene where Michael Corleone retrieves the hidden gun represents a point of no return in his transformation from legitimate citizen to mafia don. The bathroom serves as a liminal space between his old life and his new identity. [...]
16 December 2024Plectranthus barbatus can become a new sustainable toilet paper
A lush plant sways over the landscape of Meru, a town in eastern Kenya. Benjamin Mutembei, a resident of Meru, is cultivating this plant, called Plectranthus barbatus which is used for toilet paper rather than food.
In 1985, he started growing the plant. “I learned about it from my grandfather and have used it ever since. It’s soft and has a nice smell,” he says.
As reported here, the leafy plant Plectranthus barbatus can reach a height of 2 meters (6.6 feet). Its leaves have a minty, lemony scent and are about the size of a square of industrial toilet paper. The leaves are delicate and covered in small hairs. This plant is extensively grown throughout Africa and is occasionally used to mark property boundaries because it does well in warm tropical temperatures and partial sunlight.
“This has been an African tissue for a long time, and everyone in my household uses the plant. I only buy modern toilet rolls when the leaves have all been plucked,” Mutembei says.
In Kenya, the plant has given Mutembei an affordable substitute for buying toilet paper. Similar to many other commodities, toilet paper has become more expensive throughout Africa, primarily as a result of the high cost of imported raw materials like wood pulp, which are necessary for making toilet rolls. According to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, the cost of raw materials now accounts for 75–80% of the total cost of tissue products in Kenya.
The world market is dominated by toilet paper produced from virgin wood pulp. “Typical toilet paper is made of 70-80% short fiber hardwood and 20-30% long fiber hardwood,” says Ronalds Gonzalez, a professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at North Carolina State University.
According to research by the environmental impact consultancy Edge, an estimated one million trees are felled annually worldwide to produce toilet paper.
The pulp and paper sector uses about 35% of harvested trees to make paper, making it the greatest consumer of virgin wood in the world. According to the most recent Ethical Consumer research on ethical toilet paper, this is causing global ecosystem disruption, deforestation, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and species extinction.
According to Martin Odhiambo, a herbalist specializing in traditional plants at the National Museum of Kenya, there may already be a solution to the environmental harm caused by the cutting down of trees for toilet paper.
“Plectranthus barbatus is the African toilet paper. Many young people nowadays are unaware of this plant, but it has the potential to be an environmentally friendly alternative to toilet paper,” he says.
Although the real number of individuals in Kenya using the plant as toilet paper is unknown, Odhiambo notes that it is still widely produced throughout Africa and is still employed in many rural places where it is easily available.
It takes 1-2 months for Plectranthus barbatus to reach its maximum height after a cutting, which costs about 50 Kenyan shillings ($0.37).
“The leaves are similar in size to an industrial toilet paper square, making them suitable for use in modern flush toilets or for composting in latrines,” says Odhiambo.
Visitors from across Kenya attend Odhiambo’s lectures on the uses of Plectranthus barbatus and buy cuttings from his botanical garden at the National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi.
“My class has grown to over 600 participants. People are enthusiastic about learning how to use the plant and often ask for cuttings and seedlings to take back to their towns,” he says.
Other nations are also investigating the plant’s potential.
For five years, Robin Greenfield, an environmentalist who operates a non-profit organization in Florida that promotes sustainable living, has been employing the leaves of Plectranthus barbatus.
Greenfield grows more than 100 Plectranthus barbatus plants at his Florida nursery and organizes a “grow your own toilet paper” initiative. He encourages individuals to grow their own toilet paper by sharing cuttings for free or in exchange for voluntary donations. He claims to have given cuttings to hundreds of people thus far.
“There are many people who associate using the toilet paper plant with poverty,” says Greenfield, though he points out that industrial toilet paper is ultimately made from plants too.
Greenfield reports that those who use the plant have given him excellent feedback. “For anybody who feels a little hesitant to try this plant, I would say to drop your worries about what people think about you. And simply by saying, ‘I’m going to be me, and that might mean wiping my butt with some really soft leaves that I grow,'” he says.
However, how likely is it that this plant will be employed more extensively?
Production on a large scale has not yet been investigated. Rather, companies like WEPA, one of the biggest producers of toilet paper in Europe, are taking other measures to lessen the environmental effects of traditional toilet paper. According to a spokesperson, WEPA has created a novel technique for making toilet paper out of recycled cardboard that does not require bleaching the fibers.
Before being made into paper, wood pulp is usually bleached, releasing chlorinated compounds into the atmosphere. According to a report by the non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council, these compounds can react with carbon-based materials to produce dioxins, which are extremely dangerous substances linked to cancer and other health risks.
The toilet paper plant, meanwhile, is expected to have a “minimal” impact on the industry, says a WEPA spokesperson.
One drawback is that wastewater and disposal systems, especially in Europe, aren’t designed to handle this type of paper, as only soluble items can be flushed through the system, the spokesperson says.
Greenfield says that’s where compost toilets come in. “I use a compost toilet. The leaves go back to the earth and produce soil, which can then support food growth. It’s a closed-loop system, and I think using these leaves could lead us to a conversation about the environmental benefits of composting.”
There are also limitations on the locations and countries where Plectranthus barbatus can be grown, says Wendy Applequist, an associate scientist at the Missouri Botanical Garden. In South Africa, for example, Plectranthus barbatus is regarded as an invasive species, and growing or selling it is banned. Invasive species cost the global economy more than $423bn (£333bn) every year and are a major driver of biodiversity loss.
According to Applequist, environmental concerns may be reduced by cultivating the plant in a designated setting within a specified region and keeping an eye on its development to prevent it from spreading into the surrounding ecosystem. However, public acceptance continues to be perhaps the largest obstacle to mainstreaming. However, Odhiambo is optimistic about his Nairobi plant nursery.
“I know some people see using leaves as toilet paper as a step backward, but understanding the benefits of this plant, I believe it could become the next green alternative,” says Odhiambo. “I’ve been growing it in my nursery and sharing it with communities across Kenya, and people have been amazed by its convenience. If we keep an open mind and continue promoting this plant, we could eventually mass produce it for widespread use.” [...]
9 December 2024Airbus’ radical plan to fly with one pilot
According to this article, the goal of European aircraft maker Airbus is to remove the necessity of having two pilots at the controls of commercial passenger aircraft at any given time by installing a potty-style toilet directly behind the captain’s seat on its flagship A350 long-haul aircraft.
The European aerospace behemoth’s toilet idea is a component of the continuing investigation into Extended Minimum Crew Operations, or eMCO, as the aviation industry has named it.
Single-pilot operations, where only one pilot controls a packed widebody aircraft during the cruise phase of flight, are referred to as extended minimum crew operations.
The hope is that eMCO will result in attractive cost savings for airlines because, on ultra-long-haul flights, there will no longer be a need to have three or four pilots operating on the same flight.
Under eMCO, one pilot would be left alone in the cockpit for up to three hours while the other pilot slept. Pilots alternate resting in a dedicated crew rest compartment while two are on the flight deck at any given time.
Although advanced work on eMCO projects is proceeding unabated and single-pilot operations could be a reality in less than five years, the plan has inevitably concerned unions and groups that represent pilots worldwide.
However, there are still a few significant obstacles to overcome. One of these is addressing the physiological demands of pilots, such as the need to use the restroom or cope with menstruation because they are human.
One of the tasks assigned to the European Air Safety Agency (EASA) is to research the safe implementation of eMCO, which includes addressing the possibility that pilots will have to use the can.
The pan-European organization took into consideration recommendations such as requiring pilots to have a high-protein, low-residue diet to reduce the likelihood that they would have to defecate and asking them to purposefully dehydrate themselves before beginning a lone shift at the aircraft controls.
The agency also considered other radical options, such as requiring pilots to use adult diapers or installing disposable pee collectors in cockpits.
Fortunately, all of these prospective remedies were rejected by the EASA study’s authors, who concluded that diapers, special diets, and urine collectors were neither acceptable nor viable.
Rather, EASA recommended that if a pilot had to wake up the second pilot to use the restroom urgently, the eMCO would be terminated. However, if the eMCO is terminated too soon, the pilots may become fatigued.
Airbus is now working on a plan to bring an open restroom to the flight deck to solve that problem.
“They’re going to get rid of that second jumpseat behind the Captain and put a toilet; think about that for a minute; that’s no pilot ops,” pilots at the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) board of directors meeting were recently warned.
“So when you have to relieve yourself, there’s no one at the controls. They are even proposing a comms panel at that toilet so that you can look forward to the control and instrumentation. If ATC calls, well, you can answer it while you’re resting on the can.”
As early as 2027, eMCO could be prepared to conduct tests on its A350 variant if Airbus gets its way. Single-pilot operations on cargo Airbus A320 aircraft may be implemented in the next five years.
The dispute against Airbus, Boeing, and the airline industry has intensified in recent months because of concerns that aircraft manufacturers are covertly attempting to be the first to introduce eMCO to the market. ALPA has joined forces with other pilot unions to resist eMCO.
“ALPA, along with global pilot unions, are united in opposition to this concept and have made it a priority to maintain at least two pilots on the flight deck to ensure the safety and security of all airline flight operations,” the union commented earlier this month.
“No one understands better than a pilot that when an issue arises in flight, it is the pilots who are responsible for achieving a safe outcome.” [...]
2 December 2024The day after Thanksgiving can be a plumbing crisis
It’s Thanksgiving, and the holiday season is now a dead sprint. If you think you are busy cooking turkey, baking pies, and finding deals, you have no idea what plumbers are going through. The Friday after Thanksgiving, which has come to be known as “Brown Friday,” is their Super Bowl, and this is their busiest time of year.
What is ‘Brown Friday’?
As explained here, despite being the day following Turkey Day, “Brown Friday” actually refers to a whole week of increased activity for plumbers. Although the name seems to be a metaphor for clogged toilets, that is not the whole tale. A day of cooking, eating, and entertaining puts a lot of strain on your plumbing, resulting in clogged toilets, faulty disposals, and clogged sinks.
In 2023, searches for “emergency plumbing” increased by 65%, according to data provided by Yelp. Thanksgiving Day saw more searches for “24-hour plumbers” than any other day in November 2023.
The most common causes of plumbing problems on brown Friday
Fat and grease
Grease, oils, and fats of any kind should never be poured down the drain as this will cause serious blockages in your pipes. That is the fundamentals of plumbing. Grease solidifies and sticks when it comes into contact with a cold pipe. Grease accumulates over time, clogs the pipes, and becomes very challenging to get rid of. Unclogging the subsequent mess is a regular challenge that plumbers face the following day because some customers are unaware of this.
Potato peels
Thanksgiving is undoubtedly the time for mashed potatoes, but as you are preparing the family’s favorite side dish, resist the urge to throw the potato peels in the trash. You might think that a garbage disposal’s blades will tear everything into ribbons so that it can be securely flushed down the drain. However, the starchy skins tend to clump together in your pipes, which can lead to more blockages.
Carrot peelings should not go into the garbage disposal, even if they are not as common as potatoes for Thanksgiving cooking. Additionally, pasta and rice can clog drains.
When you start cooking, keep in mind that there is a reason why potato peels are among the 15 items you should never dispose of in your garbage disposal.
Composting your food waste is an additional simple alternative. It is excellent for your flower beds or garden. Additionally, you can probably locate a composting service in your area that collaborates with other farmers if you do not have a garden or flowers.
Turkey
Turkey bones and skin do not mix well with garbage disposals or drains. They may result in obstructions.
Clogged toilets
Keep in mind that only toilet paper and the natural waste it was designed to handle should be flushed down the toilet. Additionally, do not presume that your guests are wise. There are ways to politely remind guests that items such as paper towels, toiletries, etc., should not be flushed.
How to prevent plumbing problems
The good news is that you can avoid having to run around looking for an emergency plumber on Thanksgiving by taking a few easy preventative measures.
Use the disposal correctly. They’re not made for bones, potato peels, cornhusks, carrots, onion skins, coffee grounds, pasta, etc.
Cold water. Make sure to run cold water while you feed stuff into it.
Dishwasher. If your garbage disposal is clogged, avoid using the dishwasher.
Grease and oils. Use a container instead of pouring them down the drain, and throw them in the trash once they have solidified.
Dishes and greasy pans. Wipe them off before putting them in the dishwasher or washing them by hand in the sink.
Mesh strainer. Get it for your showers, tubs, and bathroom sinks, especially if you’re hosting guests this year. That will help catch hair before it turns into a clog.
Flushing. Avoid flushing wipes, feminine products, and other non-dissolvable products down the toilet.
Plunger. Plunging a toilet is the easiest way to unclog it. If the clog is too stubborn for a plunger, you may need to snake the toilet or dial up a plumber to take care of the problem. [...]
25 November 2024A new public sculpture at a beauty spot has been compared to a poo
As reported here, Earnley Viewpoint at Medmerry Nature Reserve, close to Chichester, has a periwinkle sculpture that mimics a sea snail.
It is made of Sussex willow and was designed by Two Circles Design, a group of local artists. Inspired by its surroundings, the installation showcases a cloud window silhouette of a marsh harrier, a predatory bird.
During the creation of the nature reserve, archaeologists discovered periwinkles in the ruins of an old medieval fish basket, further illustrating the site’s Bronze and Middle Age history.
Specifically, archaeologists found evidence of several circular Bronze Age roundhouses and burial grounds dating from 1,100 BC on the site, along with the remains of a medieval wooden ‘kettle’ designed to funnel and trap fish in a weir at low tide using wickerwork fences.
However, a lot of people questioned how much the recently disclosed item cost and remarked it looked like the poo emoji.
Culture Spark, a partnership between Pallant House Gallery, Chichester Festival Theatre, and Chichester District Council, created the sculpture. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which the Chichester District Council managed, provided funds to Culture Spark.
The site itself, Medmerry Nature Reserve, is one of Europe’s largest coastal realignment schemes. The man-made reserve was designed to protect surrounding villages and towns from flooding. Its creation involved constructing a new 7km flood embankment on higher ground further inland, which transformed 183 hectares into new intertidal habitats for birds and other wildlife. The project was completed in 2013 by the Environment Agency in partnership with the RSPB and was funded by Associated British Ports.
Two Circles Design responded to the criticism by sending two additional sculpture images.
The sight surprised the readers; one said, “I think I might have trod in that this morning; I do apologize.” Another said the sculpture “looks like a pile of poo” and said it was a “waste of money.”
Michael Older said, “Good heavens, what was the size of the creature that produced that?”
Konrad Langhamer said: “It must have been a really big dog that did that.”
Alan York said, “How much public taxpayer money funded the grant to make a statue of a dog’s Richard’s?”
Kim Lyhne Andersen said, “What a load of sh*t.”
Denise Davies said, “Oh my God, I thought we’d been invaded by giant cows.”
Mary Leach said, “Looks like something from a dog or a worm cast.”
Terry Stevens said, “Was that Southern Water?”
Mike Williams said, “It’s a poo emoji.”
Chris Edmonds said, “Someone is having a laugh here.”
Terri Allison said, “Nice poo.”
A spokeswoman from Chichester District Council said: “This was a community project funded by several partners and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is one of three pieces of public art that were commissioned for the RSPB Medmerry Nature Reserve.”
“As part of the Medmerry projects, we invited local artists to submit ideas for installations, which had to use natural materials and meet the brief of being closely linked to the specific installation sites. This also included running a series of community workshops where members of the public made their own willow art, which was incorporated into the final sculpture.”
“This particular sculpture reflects the site’s rich Bronze and Middle Age history. While the reserve was being created, archaeologists found periwinkles in the remains of an ancient medieval fish basket. The sculpture also features a cloud window silhouette of a marsh harrier, a bird that frequents the reserve.”
“The community project, including the sculpture and community workshops, cost £6,000.”
“These workshops received a really good response from the local community. Art projects like this are a great way to bring people together, connect with nature, and share in the stories and history of their local area.”
Councillor John Cross, cabinet member for culture, sport, and place at Chichester District Council, added: “The inspiration for the Periwinkle Shelter derives from archaeological excavations of the Medmerry site and tells a fascinating tale. This beautiful sculpture is woven from Sussex and Somerset willow and signifies both a glance back to the past and an acknowledgment of this new incarnation for the Medmerry landscape.” [...]
17 November 2024Australian researchers develop ‘Chart Your Fart’
Certainly, one of the main issues affecting most people in today’s society is a sedentary lifestyle characterized by stress and irregular work-life balance. When you combine it with terrible eating habits, you have the makings of a health catastrophe!
Because of this, as reported here, many people today experience poor gut health and its crippling consequences. As a result, a group of Australian researchers have developed a somewhat odd and perplexing method for enhancing gut health: monitoring your fart!
According to CSIRO research, the average person passes wind between 7-20 times per day, though this can vary significantly based on diet and activity levels. This finding gains additional context from a 2021 CSIRO gut health study which revealed that more than 60% of Australians reported excessive flatulence, with over 40% experiencing it most days. These statistics highlight the widespread nature of digestive health concerns in the population.
As puzzling as it may sound, a report by Interesting Engineering claims that the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency, has initiated this strange project with the goal of delving deeply into the science of gut health using data gathered from people.
CSIRO scientists have created an app called Chart Your Fart that allows Australians over 14 to record and monitor their flatulence for three days. The researchers claim that this effort advances our understanding of gut health by employing data from the app.
Instead of just recording flatulence, the app‘s algorithms are designed to analyze its characteristics in depth. It asks users to rate their farts on a variety of criteria, including stench (odorless to toxic), duration (short to eternity), detectability (discreet to blatant), loudness (silent to deafening), and smell longevity (fleeting to permanent).
The app’s practical benefits are already becoming apparent through user experiences. One participant, Heather, who previously attributed her frequent flatulence to “coming from a farty family,” discovered valuable patterns in her digestive health through the app. By tracking her daily output, she identified specific triggers in her diet, particularly noting how certain foods like croissants, pasta, and bread led to increased gas production. This insight has prompted her to make more conscious dietary choices.
Using the Chart Your Fart app is straightforward and user-friendly. Participants can log their experiences in real-time, with the app designed to capture data at the moment it occurs. Users simply open the app when they feel flatulence coming on and can quickly input their observations. This immediate recording helps ensure accurate data collection and makes the tracking process more manageable for participants.
“Passing wind is a natural occurrence and a sign that our digestive system is working as it should, to expel excess gas that is produced from breaking down and processing the food we eat,” said CSIRO research dietitian Megan Rebuli. “Different foods, medical conditions, or even the way we chew or swallow can impact how our body processes the gas, leading to different smells, frequency, or volume,” she added.
The CSIRO team emphasizes that gut health serves as a crucial indicator of overall wellness. Dr. Emily Brindal and her team are particularly interested in establishing clear benchmarks for what constitutes “normal” patterns in digestive health. This research aims to help people better understand when their symptoms might indicate underlying issues and when they fall within typical ranges. The data collected could prove invaluable in developing more targeted approaches to digestive health management.
“Research is only as good as the data we have, and we want to work with as much of our diverse Australian community as we can to drive innovation in health and wellbeing research,” said Dr. Emily Brindal, project lead, and CSIRO Behavioural Scientist while explaining the purpose of the project.
The project also addresses an important cultural aspect of digestive health. While many people find the topic embarrassing, CSIRO dietitian Megan Rebuli emphasizes that there’s no need for shame. The project aims to normalize these discussions, encouraging people to be more open about their digestive health and seek help when needed. As one participant aptly put it, “Nobody needs to be shy about it – everybody farts, right?” [...]
11 November 2024From Twitter to bestseller: a scientific investigation of animal farts
In 2017, quantitative ecologist Dani Rabiotti asked on Twitter if someone had ever wondered if a snake could fart?. Naturally, her investigation on animal flatulence went viral. #doesitfart swiftly gained traction after that. The topic was developed into a book by Rabiotti and her co-author Nick Caruso, which made it to the New York Times Bestseller list in 2018.
My book would not exist without this platform. #Doesitfart was literally a hashing started by @PlethodoNick and me. It changed my life immeasurably for the better, and the book money and opportunities stemming from it kept me in academia post PhD. https://t.co/h0fpZJSX6E— Dr Dani Rabaiotti (@DaniRabaiotti) November 5, 2022
In their groundbreaking book Does It Fart?: The Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence, Rabaiotti and Caruso define a fart as “any gas expelled from the end of an animal that is opposite its mouth.”
An animal may fart from its cloaca, which is a combined hole for urination and defecation, or its anus if it has one. A sound is produced when the gas discharge causes the orifice to vibrate against the sphincter muscles of an organism.
Which animals can fart?
According to this article, many animals are capable of farting. Naturally, humans do well, but so do bobcats, dogs, manatees, and hyenas. The toot chorus also includes a good number of unexpected animals. There are enough flatulent creatures to fill a book, as was already mentioned.
Take the herring, for example. The fish can communicate by farting, and it does so consciously. Because herring fart at a frequency too high for predatory fish to detect, their flatulence serves as a code for fish.
Not all farts are made equal, and they can have a variety of uses. As with the herring above, passing gas can be employed to communicate or to ease digestive discomfort. Another way to frighten off possible predators is just to fart. A Sonoran coral snake will draw air into its cloaca, which is a single hole used for urination and feces, and then release it with a popping sound when it feels threatened. This “cloacal popping” is described by Rabiotti and Caruso as a “higher-pitched, shorter variant of a human fart.”
Only found in Mexico’s Cuatro Cienegas Reserve, the Bolson Pupfish holds the remarkable distinction of being an animal that needs to fart in order to survive. Gas is produced by the algae that the fish eat. The fish starts to float toward the surface, where hungry predators are waiting, as the gas builds up inside it. The fish can return to the sediment it often inhabits by farting.
American cockroaches are not only able to survive anywhere, but they can also fart.
Which animals can’t fart?
A few animals are incapable of farting, whereas others can but do not.
Despite their supposed ability, bats do not seem to fart. They may be able to avoid internal gas buildup because they digest their meal so rapidly. Theoretically, most creatures that digest their food are capable of farting; however, they may not do so so often or audibly.
The digestive systems of animals that are actually incapable of farting are unable to break down food in a way that produces gas inside a closed space, such as an intestine, and then expels it. For instance, a Portuguese man o’ war cannot fart. In its tentacles, the man o’ war liquefies its prey, which is technically a colony of specialized organisms.
According to Rabiotti and Caruso, birds generally do not fart because their gut microbes are different from those of mammals and their food goes through their digestive systems fast, leaving no opportunity for gas buildup. Whether amphibians toot is up for debate. Because frogs have weak sphincter muscles, it is unlikely that passing any gas would result in vibrations that are loud enough to be heard.
Sloths are an anomaly among animals in that they do not fart. Although their gut microbiota creates methane, which they ingest and exhale rather than release as farts, they digest their simple food very slowly. [...]
4 November 2024How whale poop transformed this scientist’s career
Joe Roman is a conservation biologist at the University of Vermont and the author of ‘Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World‘, and ‘Whale‘. He has based his research career on whale feces and has traveled the world collecting samples. His research focuses on how the whales’ waste products bring nutrients back to the ocean’s surface and help to support biodiversity.
As reported here, he first encountered whale poop 30 years ago while working on a right whale research project. On one of his first days on the water in the Bay of Fundy, eastern Canada, they came upon a feeding male right whale with mud on its head—or bonnet—a sign that it had been feeding at the bottom of the bay. It had come up to breathe and rest.
Just before it dove in again, it released an enormous fecal plume. There were gallons of poop in that water. It looked like red floating bricks. The smell was overwhelming. Some whale poop smells like brine and seawater, but with right whales, there’s a strong smell of sulfur.
If you get that poop on your clothes, you have to throw them away. You’re never going to wash it out.
Roman didn’t know it then, but that fecal plume would later spark his global search for whale feces, from Iceland to Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.
He has found that whale feces can tell us not only about a whale’s diet but also about its hormones and reproductive status. It can reveal the whale’s stress levels, gut microbiome, and genetic lineage. It even allows researchers to look at the level of mercury and pollution in the ocean—everything from microplastics to parasite loads.
Ambergris, which is formed in the hindgut of sperm whales when they digest squid beaks, is rare and extremely valuable. Since the 1970s, its trade has been restricted in many countries. But in the past, it was used to make perfumes, which were worn by Elizabeth I, Charles I, and Casanova.
Whale fecal plumes can be neon green or bright red. At times, they sparkle with silver scales, like the sun glinting on the water. Every whale defecation is unique.
As for the smell, Roman notes that the poop of right whales is the strongest and foulest, but he has grown to love the smell.
It helped set the course for his research career. Two years after seeing whale poop for the first time, Roman took his first class in marine ecology and learned about one of the most important processes in the ocean, especially in carbon sequestration: the biological pump.
The whale pump represents a crucial but often overlooked mechanism in ocean ecosystems. While the biological pump moves nutrients downward as dead organisms sink to the ocean floor, whales create an opposite flow. These marine mammals dive deep to feed on prey, then return to the surface, where they release nutrient-rich feces.
Their waste contains vital elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron—essential nutrients that would otherwise remain trapped in the deep ocean. When released near the surface, these nutrients become available to phytoplankton, the tiny organisms that form the base of the marine food web.
The phytoplankton bloom, feeding small fish and krill, which in turn support larger fish and more whales. In this way, whale feces act as a biological elevator, moving nutrients upward and sustaining the productivity of entire ocean ecosystems. This discovery challenges the old belief that whales merely deplete fish stocks; instead, their presence may enhance ocean fertility and support larger fish populations.
Phytoplankton, or algae, only grow near the surface of the ocean, where there is enough light for photosynthesis. Animals such as krill and copepods feed on it there, and they are eaten by fish and even whales.
When this phytoplankton dies or is consumed, some of those nutrients are removed from the atmosphere and can sink to the bottom of the ocean. In this way, the biological pump plays an important role in moving carbon to the deep sea.
Roman remembers sitting there in class that day, thinking something was missing. Right whales often feed at depth and poop at the surface, so they’re likely bringing important nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and iron back up to the surface.
That set him off on the idea of a “whale pump,” which researchers have since discovered does the opposite of the biological pump. It pumps nutrients back up to the surface.
These nutrients can get picked up by phytoplankton and go through the entire ocean food chain. This is important because one of the justifications for whaling in Japan, Norway, and Iceland is that whales eat “our fish.” Therefore, if there are too many whales, there will be a decline in fisheries.
The whale pump demonstrates it’s more complicated than that—and that the presence of whales in the ocean might increase fish populations.
As well as helping us to understand the state of the present ocean, whale poop gives us a glimpse into the past ocean and what it was like when there were hundreds of thousands of whales in the sea. If we can restore whales and the nutrient pathways that historically existed through their poop, Roman suggests it could help support more biodiversity in the ocean. [...]
28 October 2024Slightly larger than a soccer ball, it looks like the popular iPhone poop emoji
As reported here, perched on the about six-foot (two-meter) wide desk, a poop, which is slightly bigger than a soccer ball and resembles the well-known iPhone emoji without the eyes, forms a pyramid that, when viewed from the correct angle, traces the outline of the Capitol’s iconic round dome.
A sign beneath the desk indicates its purpose: “This memorial honors the brave men and women who broke into the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021, to loot, urinate, and defecate throughout those hallowed halls in order to overturn an election.”
“President Trump celebrates these heroes of January 6th as ‘unbelievable patriots’ and ‘warriors.’ This monument stands as a testament to their daring sacrifice and lasting legacy,” the sign says.
Although the monument does not specify where it came from, Civic Crafted LLC applied for National Park Service permission for the week-long stunt. When contacted for comment, the woman listed on the permit did not reply.
“It’s brilliant satire from my perspective,” said Washington local Joel Williams, who works for the federal government. “But I just hope that a certain segment of this population don’t look at it like a trophy, like, ‘Oh we did it, we accomplished our goal.'”
On January 6, 2021, thousands of followers of then-President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol to overturn his election loss, which he still insists was the result of fraud.
One Capitol Police officer who fought against the rioters died the following day, and four more perished on the day of the attack. Later, other cops committed suicide. Several members of Congress have claimed that urine and feces were used to desecrate the building, and the Justice Department estimated that the riot caused damage of almost 1.5 million dollars.
Trump has referred to the Jan. 6 defendants as “hostages” during the campaign trail and stated that he will pardon them if he wins the Nov. 5 election against Democrat Kamala Harris.
Reminiscent of the man who placed his feet up on Nancy Pelosi’s desk, the statue’s backside features a desk nameplate for the Democratic former speaker of the US House of Representatives.
“If taking a dump on someone’s desk is an act of democracy and bravery, then you’re wrong,” said Aldo Alvarez, a lawyer from Monterrey, Mexico, visiting the nation’s capital for his college reunion. [...]
21 October 2024From the origins to the present day
The Japan National Tourism Organization estimated that about 18 million tourists visited the nation in the first half of 2024, much exceeding the record-breaking 31 million visitors in the same time of 2019. “The pleasant toilets” was a common response to surveys asking the growing number of tourists what they liked best about their trips.
However, many have said that bathroom issues were a barrier to the rise of tourism until 2013 when Japan first surpassed 10 million foreign visitors. The biggest problem was the prevalence of washiki, or conventional squat-style, restrooms in public spaces. Many Western tourists avoided using the restrooms at tourist attractions, parks, and train stations because they were not accustomed to the style, which can be difficult on untrained legs and knees and prone to soiling.
In addition, as explained here, the city started installing Western-style sit-down toilets in public areas in 2013 after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were declared. The majority of those also had Japan’s renowned warm-water bidet seats, which instantly transformed the Japanese capital from a toilet throwback to a global leader.
It is important to remember the efforts made by private companies to increase the functionality of Western-style toilets during that era and to promote their adoption. Toto, a household fixture company that created the country’s first sit-down toilets for homes, has remained a pioneer in the Japanese toilet market, especially by popularizing its warm-water “Washlet” bidet seats.
Exhibits at the Toto Museum, located on the grounds of the company’s headquarters in Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, describe not only the company’s history and products but also the evolution of toilet culture in Japan. It is an intriguing addition to any Kyūshū tour.
Porcelain maker
A range of toilets may be found in Exhibition Room 1, including the first-generation Washlet, which was introduced in 1980, and Japan’s first sit-down flushing toilet, which was created in 1914. Initially, Toto was the sanitary ceramics branch of Nippon Tōki Kaisha, which is now Noritake, a tableware manufacturer.
Nippon Tōki was established in 1904 as the Morimura Gumi trading company in the village of Takaba, Aichi Prefecture, by Morimura Ichizaemon, his brother-in-law Ōkura Magobē, and other family members. Kazuchika, the son of Magobē, served as the company’s first president.
The importance of sanitary porcelain objects for the pleasant, clean way of life in Europe was observed by the Ōkuras on a tour. However, because Japan still lacked a sewage system, the company’s leaders were against entering the market because they did not see any need.
Nevertheless, the father and son persisted, and in 1912 they personally provided funding for the establishment of a research lab on porcelain production on the company’s grounds. A little more than two years after they began studying sanitary porcelain, they finished the first sit-down flushing toilet ever constructed in Japan.
Tōyō Tōki, a sanitary porcelain manufacturer, was established in Kokura, Fukuoka Prefecture, in 1917 by Ōkura Kazuchika. In addition to being close to clay and porcelain stone sources in Amakusa, Kumamoto Prefecture, and Korea, he chose that location because it was close to the Chikuhō coal fields for simple firing fuel. It was also conveniently located near the international trading port at Moji in Kitakyūshū, which provided access to markets in China and Southeast Asia.
The entire range of Toto’s items throughout history is on display in Exhibition Room 2, which shows how plumbing has changed in Japan. Following the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923, there was an increase in demand for sanitary porcelain in Japan. The construction of larger structures and more extensive sewerage as restoration operations advanced caused a sharp increase in the demand for porcelain toilets.
As a result, the need to produce metal faucet fixtures domestically becomes increasingly urgent. For porcelain sanitary equipment to work properly, the right metal hardware is required; therefore, Toto started manufacturing its faucets and accessories in 1946. The company then moved into sinks, shower stalls, and completely equipped unit bathrooms before becoming a manufacturer of everything associated with indoor plumbing.
The postwar economic boom brought with it an increase in the number of public housing units that required flush toilets, kitchens, and baths. All-in-one “unit bathrooms” first appeared as a result of the hotel construction boom brought on by the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Standardized “sanitary unit” restrooms for office buildings were created as high-rise buildings proliferated.
In 1969, Tōyō Tōki shortened its company name to Toto, and in 1970, it changed its name to Tōtō Kiki. Lastly, in 1977, Toto’s sit-down toilet sales surpassed those of Washiki toilets.
From “wiping” to “washing”
With the introduction of the Washlet in 1980, Japan’s toilet culture underwent a significant transformation. Of all the warm-water bidet toilet seats in Japan, Washlet is by far the most well-known and is a registered trademark of the Toto Corporation. Its expansion of the market for such devices to common homes and offices is one of its biggest contributions to toilet culture.
A well-known celebrity said the catchphrase that made the Washlet famous in its 1982 dinnertime television ad: “Oshiri datte, aratte hoshii” (your bottom wants to be washed). By the way, the name Washlet is the reverse of the English expression “Let’s wash,” which refers to something related to your backside. So, customers in Japan started switching from “wiping” to “washing”.
These “backside washers” have evolved to include self-cleaning features, ozone deodorization, and nozzle position adjustments, and they are now almost universal.
Growth before profit
All of the technological advancements stem from the vision of founder Ōkura Kazuchika, who merely wished for people to live “pleasant, sanitary lifestyles.” The company’s connection with its rival producer Inax, which is now known as Lixil, is the clearest example of that.
Beginning as potters in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, the Ina family provided technical support for the construction of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed main building of the Imperial Hotel before starting to make porcelain for construction businesses.
In 1924, the Ina Seitō company began as a tile factory under the Morimura group, and Ōkura provided financial assistance for that change. The original chairman of the board was Ōkura Kazuchika, who provided funding for the establishment and periodically provided personal funding to keep it running.
Ina Seitō started refining its production methods during World War II by producing sanitary porcelain for the military. After consulting with Ōkura on the potential dispute with another group company, Tōyō Tōki, he gave his approval for the company to go independent, stating that a friendly rivalry would promote industry progress.
As a result, Ina Seitō has developed into today’s Lixil (with its well-known trademark Inax), posing a serious threat to Toto in terms of both quality and technology. Japan is now the world leader in toilets, thanks to these two significant producers.
The realization of Ōkura Kazuchika’s vision of a “pleasant, sanitary life” must undoubtedly be this. The Toto Museum demonstrates how the employees’ unwavering perseverance and unquenchable inventiveness made that ambition a reality. [...]
14 October 2024This innovative, unique toilet burns waste and gets rid of the odor
Ever thought about the impact that having access to adequate sanitation has on the environment, human dignity, and health?
According to Fox News, the innovative water and home products manufacturer LIXIL made history by becoming the first commercial license partner for the Generation 2 Reinvented Toilet (G2RT). Global sanitation habits are about to change because of this ground-breaking off-grid toilet that was built in partnership with Georgia Tech. The G2RT provides a viable solution that has the potential to change lives and communities for the billions of people who lack access to safe sanitation facilities.
Why is the G2RT so special?
The G2RT is not your typical toilet. It treats waste at the source and runs independently of conventional infrastructure. The use of septic systems or connections to sanitation grids is no longer necessary thanks to this amazing invention. Using high heat and pressure, the G2RT turns solid waste into safe, compostable dry solids while recycling and purifying liquid waste for flushing. The technique is noteworthy for its ability to eliminate dangerous bacteria, hence mitigating the transmission of diseases transmitted by water.
To get ready for launch, LIXIL is working quickly. As the company prepares for the next phase, the ink on its commercial license is barely dry. In order to make the technology appropriate for use in both the public and private sectors, they are continuously working to refine it. The goal of LIXIL is to get the G2RT ready for the market in the next three to five years. The 3.5 billion people who lack access to safely managed sanitation services globally could profit from this innovation.
The G2RT is more than just a toilet; it is a response to an international emergency. It offers significant cost savings on building and installation while lowering the danger of diseases like cholera and dysentery by eliminating water contamination. Additionally, it provides sanitation to areas where traditional infrastructure is impractical.
Through the innovation of LIXIL, a basic necessity transformed into a sophisticated, self-contained appliance, billions of people’s lives will be better in terms of quality of life, public health, and environmental impact. The upcoming years will be critical as LIXIL strives to commercialize this revolutionary technology, which has the potential to usher in a new era of universal access to sanitation. [...]
7 October 20248 strategies to hide them
Ribald romantics frequently point out that you have found your soulmate if you can fart in front of your partner, however, this is not always the case, and you often need to adopt strategies to avoid being heard.
As explained here, there are pretty foolproof techniques both men and women can use to secretly, and safely, fart around their significant others. Or anyone else you’d prefer not to notice you.
The sidewalk fart
For those who are silent but deadly, the sidewalk fart is very helpful. It is probably okay to try a moderately loud fart as well, depending on the degree of surrounding noise, such as traffic, rumbling subways, and other things. As the wind is blowing against you, this strategy works best because even the strongest farts will rapidly leave your proximity as the gas is produced.
It’s better to blame any arising smell on the air if the wind is not working in your favor. However, do not be the first to call attention to it. Make sure no one is following you by casting a quick check behind you before performing the crime. In addition to being polite, this helps prevent embarrassment. Even to a stranger, you do not want to be perceived as a secret farter.
The coughing fart
Coughing up a fart may be dangerous for people who are unfamiliar with the workings of their digestive system, therefore it is not for everyone. Before you let loose with the fart, you must have some idea of its strength. It is preferable not to smell like the inside of a wild boar’s digestive tract if you are just going to squeak one out and cover it up with a cough. However, the coughing fart is there for you if you know that it will be pretty low on the smell scale, depending on what you ate and how it is sitting in your stomach.
But exercise caution. Never let the fart get louder than your cough! Since coughing causes the fart to exit your anus with greater force than you might think, this is quite hard to regulate. It is, thus, more challenging but also useful.
The under-the-covers fart
We cannot guarantee this procedure is reliable if you only use a top sheet. After you have let one out, make sure your companion does not pull back the blankets for roughly five minutes.
Anyone who has farted under the covers and then gone under for a brief sniff of ass vapor knows that the gas lingers there for longer than you would suppose. However, the finest place to fart quietly is under the covers. These farts usually occur in the morning, when you do not want to disturb the tranquility by getting up to use the restroom.
The bathroom fart
If you do not use the bathroom fart too frequently, it works flawlessly. If you are sneaking off to the restroom every ten minutes to let one out, your significant other will be suspicious. He or she will likely start to believe that you are experiencing more serious digestive issues than just a little gas. In any event, it is useful if you need to pee because you can flush the toilet as you perform the necessary action or play some music.
It is not as silent in bathrooms as we may think, therefore, it is best if you can switch on the fan and maybe open the sink as well. Just to be safe, throw in a cough as well. To allow the room to gradually air out, attempt to leave the door slightly ajar and make sure your partner is not entering directly after you.
The piecemeal fart
When executed correctly, this is among the most effective methods. You must be aware that you can expel the fart gradually until it is all out of your body. It shouldn’t be so big that, when beginning to squeeze, it completely comes out. (Those work best in the bathroom.) If you push out a bit here, a bit there, over five or 10 minutes, no one will be the wiser.
This works best if you use it during dinner, ideally at a restaurant, where your significant other can not witness you carefully relaxing your sphincter to siphon out the gas without them knowing. Take care that your expressions do not reveal anything. Just to be safe, take a sip of your drink so that part of your face is covered.
The cooking fart
Anything containing onions, bacon, or fish will help cover up any smell. Opt for one of those foods, or anything else with an aroma that will remain in your house, if you are hosting your significant other for supper. Odors will be confused, making it impossible for someone to distinguish between the smell of gas, food, or both. Not to add that your significant other will not even notice that the strong smell could be laced with ass because they will be so enamored with the fact that you made dinner.
The trapped fart
The riskiest of all is the trapped fart, which is best reserved for special occasions. It’s useful for car travel when you have no other choice (and lowering the window would be questionable) or for when you’re hugging on the couch and would rather not ruin the mood. However, be advised that farting will ruin the mood much more severely than getting up to use the restroom.
Before attempting this in the wild, I advise practicing it on your own a few times. Because it takes some skillful maneuvering with your butt cheeks to seal the fart beneath you, it does not always work. To achieve this, sit up straight, bring your legs together, and firmly press your ass on your seat. To prevent the fart from escaping out the back, you should aim it slightly in front of you. After that, release it gradually and silently while you await the outcome.
The toilet paper fart
Another technique employs toilet paper to minimize the sound of a fart. Two sheets of paper are enough for this purpose. Fold and place them between your cheeks, centering the anus. This way, paper will act as a cushion to absorb sound as gas is released. By letting gas escape slowly, you can minimize the noise produced, while a quick release tends to create louder sounds due to increased exit velocity. The muffling effect comes from the absorption of sound waves by the toilet paper, which reduces the vibrations that typically lead to audible farts. The combination of proper placement and controlled release can significantly lower the chance of drawing attention. [...]
1 October 2024Another help for people’s health
As explained here, some futuristic urinals have started to appear in China. These urinals use automated pee monitoring and analysis to help people better manage their health. Men’s public restrooms in major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, now feature these smart toilets. For about 20 yuan, or roughly $2.76 (approximately Rs 230), these urinals can rapidly and accurately analyze pee on-site.
Documentary director Christian Petersen-Clausen, who is stationed in Shanghai, posted a picture of one of these urinals along with a description of his experience on Twitter. He wrote, ”Recently, health-checking urinals have begun popping up in men’s restrooms all over Shanghai. A private company is offering the urine analysis for RMB 20. Naturally, I tried that out.”
”The whole process is about as easy as one might think. I paid my fee via WeChat, and before I even made it down, the escalator had my results,” he continued, posting images of the sophisticated device that displayed a guy urinating into it with a Mandarin-language explanation.
https://twitter.com/chris__pc/status/1782245409857102262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1782245409857102262%7Ctwgr%5Ec109a73782d68cdee8422aedc550e41bf33bb3fd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ndtv.com%2Fworld-news%2Fthis-futuristic-public-toilet-in-china-analyses-your-urine-to-measure-health-5504188
His results, which said he lacked Calcium, were ”otherwise unremarkable,” he said.
A few days later, he tumbled over one more of these urinals and conducted another test. ”Apparently, I had been drinking enough milk by then. The tests seem to be rather comprehensive as well,” he wrote, informing users that his calcium levels had gotten better.
https://twitter.com/chris__pc/status/1782248129737474245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1782248579555541230%7Ctwgr%5Ec109a73782d68cdee8422aedc550e41bf33bb3fd%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ndtv.com%2Fworld-news%2Fthis-futuristic-public-toilet-in-china-analyses-your-urine-to-measure-health-5504188
”The company seems to be installing them all over China, and given how important early detection of health issues is, I think this is quite good. I don’t think this shall replace a visit to your doctor, but it might very well prompt one. A cardiologist told me that thanks to Apple Watches he now saw more people before they had heart attacks. That’s kind of what I am hoping for here.,” he added. [...]
30 September 2024Human waste shot 33 feet into the air, then began to rain, drenching automobiles
The burst sewage pipe that drenched motorists and motorcycle riders was captured in stomach-churning CCTV. It happened in Nanning, China, where the stools were trapped in recently laid sewage pipes prior to a poop vortex erupting.
As reported here, it shot a whopping 33 feet of feces skyward like a geyser and sprayed its filth all over the highway. In dashcam footage, globs of feces pummeled cars’ windscreens before a billowing cloud of orange appeared.
As they wandered along the avenue, unsuspecting pedestrians were covered in human waste, and clips captured some of them being forced to cycle through the filth. Numerous cars were damaged, and one driver allegedly reported the incident: “I’m drenched in poo; my car is splattered yellow.”
“It’s ruined.”
Pictures showed the devastation caused by the “poo-cano,” which left a sea of waste in its wake. On September 24, at about eleven in the morning, a pipe burst on a part of the road that was being repaired.
The explosion caused a digger to topple over at the site, but no one was hurt, according to the authorities. The breach is believed to have occurred during a pressure test that engineers performed while installing the sewage pipes.
Following the explosion, authorities rushed to the scene to begin a massive clean-up effort. It is said that the local authorities are looking into what caused it in order to stop such situations from happening again.
One local said, “You can almost smell this video.”
It happened only one month after millions of dead fish washed up on the coast of a Greek city, leaving visitors unwilling to eat elsewhere due to the terrible stench. Photographs taken in Volos, in the Thessaly region of central Greece, depicted floating corpses covering the harbor like a shimmering blanket.
Authorities and residents rushed to remove the fish before it reached popular tourist destinations because of the awful stink. Before placing the more than 40 tonnes of dead fish into the back of their vehicles, trawlers were sent out to gather them.
However, restaurants suffered because no one wanted to eat there because of the overpowering stench of rotting fish and the disgusting way it looked. Tourists were no longer sipping coffee at the harbor, where a thick layer of fish had accumulated, according to local publication Neos Kosmos. [...]
23 September 2024From healthcare breakthroughs to sustainable agriculture
Urine is a peculiar fluid that contains several useful substances, including urea, electrolytes, and different metabolic byproducts.
Urine has unrealized potential in a variety of sectors in addition to its involvement in its bodily functions. It can be used, for instance, as an organic fertilizer in agriculture to provide crops with necessary nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This encourages sustainable farming methods and lessens dependency on hazardous synthetic fertilizers. Urine is being used in medicine for non-invasive health monitoring, early disease detection, and the treatment of chronic diseases. In addition, urine is being treated more like a resource than a waste, and this is leading to the development of creative solutions that can improve healthcare, manage environmental issues, and promote general well-being.
According to this article, here are ten exciting European entrepreneurs who are using urine’s unique properties to create useful and innovative solutions. These companies are revolutionizing the way we think about and use urine, with products ranging from cutting-edge neuromodulation therapies and sophisticated incontinence management systems to innovative diagnostic tools and environmentally friendly fertilizers. Each company on this list is pushing the limits of sustainability and technology in addition to tackling particular health and environmental problems.
Amber Therapeutics: a London-based company, creates cutting-edge neuromodulation therapies to treat mixed urinary incontinence in women. Their ground-breaking PicostimTM System uses a fully implanted device to target the pudendal nerve. It can sense and stimulate responses, adapting to the needs of the user. According to the AURA-2 study, the technology significantly improves quality of life and is both safe and effective. Amber was founded in 2021 and focuses on creative solutions for unmet clinical requirements while employing experience in medical devices. €94.9 million has been raised by the company to pursue its cutting-edge treatments.
AssistMe: with a mobile app that tracks residents’ needs in real-time and a sophisticated sensor system built into adult diapers, Berlin-based AssistMe is revolutionizing elder care. It enables caregivers to respond quickly and effectively by automating processes like documentation, pressure ulcer prevention, and incontinence control. The system lowers expenses and administrative workloads while enhancing resident comfort and safety. The ultimate objective of AssistMe is to improve care procedures through personalization and efficiency for the benefit of both caregivers and residents. Having been founded in 2016, they secured approximately €5 million in fundraising in 2019 through an exceptional round.
EG 427: a Paris-based company, is creating pinpoint gene therapy, a novel technique that targets bladder problems directly. This approach makes use of a non-replicative Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) vector platform to enable accurate and durable expression of therapeutic genes. In June 2024, the U.S. FDA approved EG110A, its main product, for preclinical development for neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NDO). Since their founding in 2019, they have raised €17 million, intending to provide long-term, efficient treatments for chronic illnesses while enhancing the options available for care.
inContAlert: based in Bayern, Germany, it has created a wearable device that uses artificial intelligence and a proprietary sensor to assess bladder filling levels. When a patient’s bladder hits critical levels, an app displaying sensor data alerts them. By reducing the need for catheters and preventing unplanned emptying, this technology enhances patient quality of life and care efficiency. All things considered, it helps people with neurogenic bladder dysfunction take back control of their bladder. They were established in 2019 and have raised €2.6M.
Jude: it is a London-based healthcare company that develops all-natural, clinically validated supplements and products to assist people regain control over their bladder function. The company’s goal is to improve bladder care. Their main offering, a bladder control supplement, fortifies the pelvic floor and lessens urgency, leaks, and nocturnal urination by combining soy germ isoflavones with pumpkin seed extract. Jude also sells leak-proof underwear and pads, which are made of biodegradable, environmentally friendly materials and are created with sustainability in mind. Since their founding in 2020, they have raised €6.7 million toward their goal of shattering taboos surrounding bladder health and establishing a community of support for people who are impacted.
Testmate Health: a Swiss company, provides an easy-to-use urine test that can be done at home and yield results for the four most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STDs) in a matter of minutes. With the help of Swiss microengineering and cutting-edge DNA isothermal technology, the disposable kits provide rapid and discreet testing at any time or location. The test looks for mycoplasma genitalium, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. Users can share the test results with their doctor through the Testmate app so that they can start treatment right away. With Testmate, access to sexual health testing is made easier, enabling people to take charge of their health and minimizing the need for in-person doctor visits. They were established in 2020 and have raised €7.9 million.
The Blue Box: a Barcelona-based company, is creating a breast cancer screening test that uses biomarkers in urine to identify breast cancer without pain, radiation, or accessibility issues. The technology analyzes urine samples and detects breast cancer with a sensitivity of 88.42%, exceeding standard mammography, thanks to a proprietary electronic nose (eNose) and AI algorithms. By 2025, the test is expected to be available in gynecological clinics, providing a simple, affordable diagnostic option via a subscription procedure. They were established in 2021 and have raised €1.9 million.
TOOPI Organics: a French company, that gathers and recycles human urine for use in farming. Rather than using conventional fertilizers, they produce biostimulants derived from urine. Urine is collected from public restrooms, events, and metropolitan areas. It is subsequently treated through fermentation and filtration to produce a culture medium for microorganisms of interest to agronomists. Targeting phosphorus, nitrogen, and water stress, Toopi’s first product, Lactopi Start, was introduced in France and Belgium and provides farmers with an organic substitute for mineral and inorganic fertilizers. TOOPI Organics was established in 2019 and has raised €23.2 million.
Usense: a French company, created Jimini, a portable device that detects biomarkers in urine in real time for disease identification and early diagnosis with only one click. Jimini works as a miniature laboratory, providing medical practitioners with a practical and hygienic instrument for pre-analysis straight from the urine sample by combining patented photonic and electroanalysis technologies. Through an integrated web application, the results can be safely accessed and transferred online, improving medical procedures. Their technology provides a rapid and non-invasive means of monitoring health by enabling early diagnosis in medical consultations and emergencies. Over €8.8 million has been raised since its founding in 2019.
Vunanexus: based in Zurich, it uses a patented treatment technique created at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) to turn urine into a profitable and environmentally friendly fertilizer known as Aurin. Their technique addresses the disadvantages of conventional wastewater treatment and synthetic fertilizer manufacturing by stabilizing urine by eliminating contaminants and turning it into a ready-to-use fertilizer. This invention provides a long-term way to recycle nutrients, lessen environmental effects, and increase resource efficiency. Over €1.5 million has been raised since its founding in 2021. [...]
16 September 2024A new health trend
The idea of fart walks was first presented to us all in a video that was uploaded by TikTok creator Mairlyn Smith (@mairlynthequeenoffibre). As reported here, she always puts on her running shoes and heads outside with her spouse about an hour after supper. She asks in the video, “Now, why do we do this?”. “Well, we eat a lot of fiber, so we have gas—everybody does—and, yeah, you fart while you walk. So that’s why I named it that.”
@mairlynthequeenoffibre
@mairlynthequeenoffibre The #fartwalk lady is me. I’m mostly on instagram as Mairlyn Smith so I didn’t know i was that cool over here 😂 #fartwalk #fartwalker #farts #hearthealthy #guthealthy #diabetesawareness #agingwell #aging ♬ original sound – mairlynthequeenoffibre
Smith may be onto something when she suggests that going for walks helps her “age wonderfully”; this is not just a sweet married habit. She mentions a few particular physical advantages: According to Smith, it lessens the chance of getting type 2 diabetes and eases any bloating that may occur after dinner.
@thestomachdoc Fart walking helps with acid reflux, bloating, gas, and constipation. Improve your gut health #fyp #doctor #medicine #ootd #fashion #healthtok #viral #medschool #lifestyle #guttok #poop #gas #bloating #ibs #constipation ♬ original sound – Dr. Joseph Salhab
GI doctors immediately joined the TikTok discussion to support Smith’s assertions. Naturally, you can not believe everything you read or hear on social media, especially when it comes to health, but according to NYU Langone Health gastroenterologist Lisa Ganjhu, DO, it turns out that even a short exercise session can help reduce feelings of bloating because a stroll after a meal helps to accelerate digestion.
“When you are moving, your GI tract is also moving,” Dr. Ganjhu said. This helps to encourage gut motility, or intestinal movement, which is necessary for adequate food digestion. “There needs to be a motion to help move the food along,” she says. “When you’re walking and moving around, you’re basically helping the motility part of the digestive tract.” That may help to explain why when you eat while on an airplane or train, you frequently feel so bloated.
Studies support this: Exercise after a meal has been demonstrated to accelerate colon transit and stomach emptying. A different study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that even a little exercise after a meal was enough to dramatically minimize bloating. Furthermore, according to Dr. Ganjhu, increasing your gut motility and eliminating food rapidly can help with GERD, or acid reflux disease, as there is less time for the digestive acids to perform their job.
Regarding the assertion that taking a fart walk can prevent diabetes? Exercise of any kind can assist in controlling your blood sugar, according to Dr. Ganjhu. And here’s why taking a stroll after dinner can be a terrific way to do it: A stroll after eating can help balance your blood sugar levels, according to a study published in the journal Nutrients. This is crucial because repeated spikes can lower your body’s sensitivity to insulin, raising your chance of type 2 diabetes.
The fact that you can enjoy the benefits of the fart walk even after a short stroll is another fantastic thing about it. A 2021 study found that bloating can be reduced with as little as 10 minutes of activity. A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology discovered that while high-intensity exercise, such as running, decreased stomach emptying, moderate walking dramatically enhanced it.
“It’s just walking and passing gas,” said Dr. Ganjhu. “There is no specific time or distance, or intensity required.”
Avoid overthinking the fart walk. After eating, you will probably feel even somewhat better with any form of light exercise, and not just in terms of your physical health. Smith claims that going on fart walks with her partner helps them rekindle their romance and adds a social element to their day.
“And we both think farts are funny, which adds to the laughter every evening,” Smith says. [...]
9 September 2024These bacteria show promise in healing chronic wounds
Researchers may soon look to bacteria that were first discovered in poop as a way to help in the quicker healing of chronic wounds. For instance, an open wound serves as the ideal little breeding ground for bacteria. However, not every microbe is harmful. Alcaligenes faecalis is one beneficial bacteria; it got its name from the fact that it was first discovered in poop.
How can something found in poop be beneficial to heal wounds? Scientists claim that, despite the bacteria’s seeming absurdity, it has been quite helpful in accelerating the healing of chronic wounds, particularly in diabetics.
As explained here, people with diabetes often struggle with persistent wounds because their bodies’ natural wound-healing mechanisms tend to malfunction. Chronic wounds heal substantially more slowly as a result of this. These injuries can even result in painful infections since they are so hard to treat. However, by introducing beneficial bacteria, we can encourage natural healing.
This latest discovery was also made by the researchers by accident. When researching the microbiome of these chronic wounds, scientists discovered A. faecalis. They initially believed it might have been a random bystander in the mix. However, as the bacteria began to colonize the wounds, they discovered that the wounds appeared to heal considerably more quickly.
Researchers found that diabetic mice with wounds produced keratinocytes, a crucial skin cell involved in wound repair, that moved faster. It appears that the production of those faster-moving cells is caused by these beneficial bacteria.
To precisely understand why A. faecalis has shown to be so beneficial and profitable in healing chronic wounds, more research is still required. However, a study that was published in Science Advances demonstrates that it can outcompete some extremely harmful bacteria. [...]
2 September 2024It doesn’t require water or a sewer connection
Few people can arouse passion in others over a toilet. Diana Yousef is among the very ones who can. She exhibits this in every speech she conducts to possible funders or investors, in every media interview, and even in a TEDx lecture hosted at her daughter’s school.
As reported here, Yousef, an Egyptian immigrant who was born in Boston and has a PhD in biochemistry from Cornell University, invented a toilet that runs without water or a connection to the sewer system. It works by a membrane that removes 90% to 95% of waste by evaporation.
The concept aims to address inadequate sanitation, which is a serious issue for half of the world’s population. This has several negative effects, such as fatalities from infectious diseases, environmental issues, and—this one particularly moves Yousef—violence against women and girls for going outside their homes to relieve themselves.
“When people live without access to safe sanitation, it’s very difficult for them to improve their quality of life,” Yousef said, in a video interview from her home in Boston.
The World Health Organization estimates that 4.2 billion people employ sanitation services that don’t treat waste. Of them, 673 million are compelled to defecate outside since they lack access to any kind of bathroom. Every year, infections associated with inadequate sanitation cause around 564,000 deaths, primarily from diarrhea.
“But beyond that, one of the things that moves me the most is the disproportionate way in which harms women and girls, who don’t have access to safe private toilets near their homes. There’s a huge, little-discussed problem of women being raped—and even murdered—simply because they need to go to the bathroom,” Yousef explains.
“50% of schools in the world lack adequate sanitation facilities, which makes it extremely difficult—for girls especially—to go to school. When they go to school, they fight the urge to go to the bathroom, so they don’t eat, they don’t drink, they end up tired, and they have trouble paying attention. And, when they start having their period, they miss a week of school every month and fall behind.”
Yousef, a mother of three daughters, ages thirteen, eight, and five, bemoans the state of the situation: “I find it very difficult to understand that this happens to girls all over the world, while my daughters have the life they have just because of where they were born.”
One of the things that motivated Yousef to create her startup for change: WATER Labs, was the birth of her children. “When I had my first daughter, I was out of work for two years, because nobody wanted me.” As a result, she had to reinvent herself. “I want to set an example for them, to show them that they can do whatever they want, that they have the ability to decide.” Her work also incorporates elements of her Egyptian background. “I think that all of us who come from the Middle East are very aware of the importance of water. It’s vital.”
She picked up an idea that had come to her while working as a consultant for NASA and USAID in 2009 on a collaborative project that looked for technology solutions to issues with access to water. This idea took into consideration recycling wastewater and converting it to potable water through the use of breathable materials.
“These materials have the property of absorbing moisture from one area and passing it into the dry air on the other side. The liquid water enters the material and comes out the other side as vapor,” she describes.
Her prior work with the UN allowed her to go to countries in the Global South and learn about issues with sanitary infrastructure. Her job includes looking for business models that connect the private sector to the field of development.
It appeared that the breathable material was a very low-energy solution that could be applied on a large or small scale. In underdeveloped areas with little infrastructure, it might be quite helpful. “I realized that it was probably better to use to get rid of dirty water, rather than to make clean water.”
At MIT, Yousef presented her own project for the first time, meeting experts who were intrigued by the concept. Some joined her team, which consists of seven members at the moment. She had access to a laboratory where she could turn the notion into a reality because of an initial grant of $50,000.
The prototype project was implemented in February 2020 in a Kiboga, Uganda refugee host community, funded by the international government initiative Humanitarian Grand Challenges. About 400 people a week used the two Turkish-style restrooms that were constructed in a women’s hospital and a girls’ school (they were on the floor and did not have seats). “We saw that they contained the waste completely, in a hygienic way. We didn’t detect any smell in the . Additionally, maintenance only needed to be done once every two or three weeks.”
The second pilot project is being implemented in Kuna Naga, a suburb of Panama City without sewage or running water that is home to the Indigenous Kuna people. Asocsa, a nearby construction company that typically works in low-income areas, is providing funding. Two Western-style sit-down toilets were placed in two households in October 2023, accommodating a combined user count of approximately 25.
The membrane simply starts to evaporate water from pee and poo when it comes into contact with them; there is no flush system. “We’ve been able to show that we can run these toilets for two, even three months, without having to empty them.” The installation of public restrooms in the same community is the next scheduled stage.
Yousef predicts that the final price of the iThrone, which took home the MAPFRE Foundation Award for Social Innovation in the Health Improvement and Digital Technology category, will be approximately $200 per device.
“We plan to outsource production to local partners, so the price will come down even further. Other solutions that are used cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is much cheaper and simpler because it doesn’t require a lot of infrastructure, but it offers high performance by making the waste disappear on-site,” she explains.
Yousef continues saying that most of the waste that does not evaporate and the bag—made of permeable material—are compostable. So, when emptying the toilet, the waste “can be disposed of in whatever way the partner . If it’s a humanitarian organization in a crisis or a refugee camp—without the capacity to build adequate sanitation infrastructure—they just burn the waste. But in a community that wants to make sanitation circular, the waste can be converted into something with value, fuel or fertilizer.” [...]
26 August 2024Hitler-faced potty among the unique collection of historic bathroom fixtures being sold
A potty with Adolf Hitler‘s face on the bottom is among a collection of bathroom items up for sale, along with hundreds of Thomas Crapper loos. He is famous for improving the toilet and inventing the floating ballcock. Toilets, taps, basins, and baths make up the Crapper cluster, with the owner hoping someone will be keen enough to buy it as a complete set, lest the lovely lavs be split up.
According to the BBC, eight years after leaving Warwickshire-based Thomas Crapper & Co., Simon Kirby, the former boss, is selling hundreds of vintage items. The nearly 40-year-old collection, which served as the foundation for the company’s private museum, can be yours for roughly £300,000.
Mr. Kirby claimed that while serving as managing director, he progressively gathered the pieces as a side project. His collection includes polished wooden loo seats, ancient brass taps, enormous old cast-iron baths, and the potty with the Fuhrer feature, which was really developed by Crown Devon rather than Thomas Crapper.
Mr. Kirby said, “These pieces are now so rare that the collection could not be assembled today.”
“I no longer run a Victorian sanitaryware company, so I cannot justify keeping the collection. It is time for it to be explored and enjoyed by the public.”
Salvo, an online marketplace for architectural salvage, received a request to assist in finding a new home for the collection in order to “preserve its future,” according to CEO Sara Morel.
On the Salvo website, a video tour with never-before-seen footage of the complete collection was posted.
Ms. Morel said: “Touring the private museum was fun, insightful, and a privilege. As the video shows, each piece holds stories that must be saved and shared.”
Salvo claimed that the displays, which included over 1,200 objects spanning the 1830s to the 1960s, were in excellent shape.
Kirby’s interest in toilets originated in childhood when his mother gave him a copy of the book ‘Temples of Convenience,’ which showcased many old toilets.
The video also showcases some Victorian urinals with a unique feature: a bee painted on the inner surface as a target to minimize splashing, a clever strategy for men who might ‘sprinkle when they tinkle’. While we see this technique in some modern public urinals using a fly image, many may not know it’s not a new idea but a revival from the past. Interestingly, the choice of a bee was not random. In Latin (a language in which many gentlemen of the era were educated), ‘bee’ is pronounced ‘apis’, which sounds like ‘a piss’ in English – a witty reference to the urinal’s function. [...]
23 August 2024The origins and popularity of Alaska’s infamous three-layered shooter
The Alaskan Duck Fart seems like a disgusting shot, and its flavors may be too much for you depending on your tolerance for strong alcoholic beverages. That is accurate for a lot of shots, but this one is a complex shooter to throw back because it has three ingredients. This mixture is multilayered, for sure, but its narrative adds even more complexity to the formula.
As explained here, the Last Frontier’s (a nickname for the state of Alaska) largest sports bar, Peanut Farm, is where the drink originated, though it is unclear exactly why the drink’s name includes the phrase “duck fart.” An old patron of the business placed an order for a variety of alcoholic beverages in December 1987. She requested a straight tequila shot, a creamy Grasshopper cocktail, and a B-52, which consists of Baileys Irish cream, coffee liqueur, and Grand Marnier. The old woman’s server, Dave Schmidt, was encouraged to experiment with some more complex mixes by this.
The most popular outcome that resembles a B-52, is the Alaskan Duck Fart. At the bottom is Kahlúa coffee liqueur, followed by Baileys, and, at the senior citizen’s request, Crown Royal (instead of Grand Marnier) on top. Apart from the names, the only noticeable distinction is that the whisky is used in place of the cognac and bitter orange liqueur. But why give this amazing invention the name of a flatulence?
This is when the origin story becomes less certain. According to one theory, Dave Schmidt named his product after The Beaver State since ducks are prevalent in Oregon and there is a well-known college football team named after them. An alternative version states that the inventors just called out what was in front of them and that Schmidt’s drunken muse was wearing a duck beak (probably the hat sort).
Additionally, there is the theory that after making the shot, this customer made a noise like a fart.
In The Land of the Midnight Sun, the Alaskan Duck Fart shot has gained widespread recognition, despite its peculiar moniker. Fans of the recipe exist, obviously. It has, after all, made its way from Peanut Farm in Anchorage to other drinking establishments, such as Ernie’s Old Time Saloon in the somewhat remote Alaskan island city of Sitka. Rennie’s Landing, for example, is a college pub in Oregon where they even have a “Duck Fart” shot made with Irish cream, Kahlúa, and Pendelton whisky. Even still, we rank the drink itself among the most embarrassing whisk(e)y-based beverages you can have. [...]
19 August 2024Influencer’s skincare routine alarms doctors
As reported by the New York Times, Brazilian model Débora Peixoto has come under fire from doctors for her strange skincare routine, which includes covering her face in her own poop.
Regarding her stinking skincare routine, which she just posted on Instagram, Peixoto, 31, told Jam Press, “It’s the craziest thing I’ve done in my life.”
The influencer, who gained notoriety before for softening her skin with period blood, claimed that she read online that applying a fecal face mask could “prevent aging.”
The content creator, who has over 650,000 Instagram followers, is shown in a video opening a jar of her own feces and smearing it all over her face, resembling a mud mask.
After using a clothespin to pin her nose closed in order to “hide” the odor, the beauty waits a few minutes before washing off the excremental exo-layer. Peixoto shows off her bright face to the camera at the conclusion of the video.
“It has worked for me, and my skin has stopped flaking!” exclaimed Peixoto, who caused a stir when she married her considerably older cousin in the previous year.
The strange method was swiftly criticized by experts, who said that the health risks outweighed any purported advantages.
“Of all the skincare ‘trends’, this is one of the strangest I have ever come across,” said Dr. Sophie Momen, a dermatology consultant at the London-based Cadogan Clinic. “There is absolutely no scientific benefit to your skin in using feces as a face mask.”
She continued by saying that the combination of poop and food can lead to food poisoning, bacterial and viral infections, and “redness and discomfort.”
Mr. Tunc Tiryaki, a plastic surgeon who works with her, seconded her PSA, which warns: “Feces contain a plethora of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, including E. coli, Salmonella, and helminths, which can cause serious infections and diseases.”
“Applying feces to your face can introduce these pathogens into your body through small cuts, abrasions, or mucous membranes, leading to severe skin infections or systemic illnesses,” said the doctor, who advised using contemporary skin care items in their place.
The commentariat also turned their noses up at Peixoto’s crappy cosmetic routine.
“People are getting too extreme on the internet. This is worrisome,” lamented one critic, while another wrote: “This is why aliens don’t talk to us.”
Although doctors criticize the unconventional skincare method of using human excrement, some beauty experts have suggested applying bird droppings to one’s face as a way of promoting skin health. They argue that the waste contains beneficial chemicals that can effectively remove dead cells and result in a radiant complexion. [...]
12 August 2024Revolutionizing waste management in space
A dirty secret in space travel is that astronauts have been known to use diapers while wearing spacesuits. However, a new design promises to recycle valuable water while also offering a more hygienic approach to spacewalks.
When inside the International Space Station, astronauts use a Urine Processor Assembly to recover water from pee by vacuum distillation, according to NASA. Because water is so important, life support systems try to recover over 98% of the water that the crew brings.
Life support
Outside the spacecraft, spacewalks may take many hours, and astronauts wear “maximum absorbency garments”. As explained here, these MAGs have been in use since the 1970s and are made of many layers of superabsorbent polymer. To put it briefly, everything that is inside them is diapers, and nothing is recycled.
A new concept in full-body “stillsuits,” was influenced by the Dune film series. In the movies, some spacesuits clean drinking water by absorbing water lost through pee and sweat.
Water recovery
The “stillsuit” prototypes, described by Cornell University researchers in a publication in Frontiers in Space Technologies, make use of a special urine collection and filtration system specifically designed for spacesuits.
“The MAG has reportedly leaked and caused health issues such as urinary tract infections and gastrointestinal distress,” according to Sofia Etlin, the study’s first author and a research staff member at Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University. Additionally, astronauts currently have only one liter of water available in their in-suit drink bags.
That is not much for spacewalks lasting many hours. It is significantly less when you take into account NASA‘s intention to include longer spacewalks on the moon as part of their highly ambitious Artemis lunar missions. In an emergency, astronauts ought to be able to perform a spacewalk for a whole day, according to Etlin. Plans call for many astronauts to conduct lunar spacewalks on at least four Artemis missions.
Taking a pee
A urine collection device wrapped in polyester microfiber is part of the ‘stillsuit’. It consists of an undergarment with several flexible fabric layers attached to a silicone collection cup that is molded. As a result, astronauts of different genders would need to employ different sizes and shapes. When moisture is detected by an RFID tag connected to an absorbent hydrogel, a pump is activated. It takes only five minutes to collect and purify 500 ml of pee, and the researchers claim that it is 86% efficient because it is designed for microgravity.
“The design includes a vacuum-based external catheter leading to a combined forward-reverse osmosis unit, providing a continuous supply of potable water with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure astronaut wellbeing,” said Etlin. Another idea is to provide astronauts with their own supply of high-energy, non-caffeinated drinks. [...]
5 August 2024Skibidi Toilet’s surprising journey to the big screen
It looks like Skibidi Toilet, the internet sensation gone viral, is headed for the big screen. There are rumors that a well-known director is thinking about turning it into a film or TV series.
Nobody could have predicted that the brief, ridiculous animations that were posted to YouTube would turn into the internet sensation known as Skibidi Toilet. Therefore, a prominent director is now interested in adapting these videos for the big screen after they gained extraordinary notoriety.
As reported here, Adam Goodman, the former president of Paramount Pictures, disclosed to Variety that he and director Michael Bay are considering making the Skibidi Toilet adaptation a reality, as explained in the most recent episode of the Strictly Business podcast. Goodman acknowledged that, while it is not their main priority right now, talks are still going on for both film and television versions.
The Skibidi Toilet viral craze began in February of last year when Alexey Gerasimov, also known as DaFuq!?Boom!, posted an 11-second video to YouTube. The short video, which shows a head singing as it emerges from a toilet, unintentionally went viral. Since then, Boom’s channel has collected over 70 videos, ranging in length from one to five minutes, that show a futuristic world in which cyborgs—basically, CCTV cameras with bodies—wage battle against toilets with human heads.
With the ultimate objective of wiping out humanity and turning more people into Skibidi Toilets, these conflicts take place in an ever-expanding industrial landscape. Boom, an animator who is now 26 years old, has over 43 million followers and 17 billion views. Boom is ready to take Skibidi Toilet beyond YouTube. Bay and Goodman are well known for their ability to turn unorthodox ideas into successful business endeavors. Their creative team is directly collaborating with Boom to make sure that every choice is in line with his vision, and they are fully invested in the adaptation process.
Goodman highlighted Boom and Bay’s positive and effective working relationship, pointing out that Boom’s outstanding work has astounded Bay. He thinks Boom is going to launch a huge new creation that will be comparable to the Marvel Universe or Transformers. Goodman said they are looking into the idea of a hybrid adaptation, but he did not mention any specific studios at this time. This method might combine live-action and animated components like that of District 9 and John Wick.
Although Skibidi Toilet first became popular on YouTube, its notoriety grew even more as a result of calculated partnerships with well-known video games. The Skibidi Toilet series increased its popularity and brought in tens of millions of dollars in income each year by incorporating skins and characters with a toilet theme into Roblox and Minecraft.
These collaborations demonstrated viral content’s enormous commercial potential and adaptability to a variety of entertainment platforms. According to Goodman, the next big intellectual property wave will originate from viral phenomena and the internet rather than from rebooting or reviving existing franchises.
This change is a reflection of the increasing focus on appealing to younger audiences, who set the trends on social media. And Skibidi is a perfect example of this new success trend fueled by the internet. Skibidi Toilet has the potential to become the next big Hollywood property, according to Goodman and Bay, if it continues on its current growth trajectory. They think it might, like other blockbuster series, fascinate people around the world and have a big impact on the entertainment industry. [...]
3 August 2024A U.S. Army AH-64 gunner was given the call sign “Muddy” after experiencing diarrhea
In peacetime as well as during earlier conflicts, diarrhea was a prevalent and debilitating medical ailment that many US troops suffered from in Vietnam. Jet jockeys (a colloquial term often used to refer to fighter pilots or pilots who fly high-speed jet aircraft) were less likely to get it than helicopter pilots and other flying props operating out of mainland airbases, especially those operating out of Thailand or carriers who only caught it during in-country R&R.
Anyway, having diarrhea in the cockpit of an attack helicopter can be a really serious problem.
The Shawarma before the storm
Buzz Covington, former US Army AH-64 Apache (a type of attack helicopter) co-pilot/gunner (CPG), recalls his experience on Quora.
“There I was… (All good aviator stories start like that) I was a relatively new front-seater in A-Model Apaches back in 1998, stationed in Illesheim, Germany. Though one of the newer pilots in the squadron, my back-seater Dave and I had been selected to be the lead aircraft of the lead troop for a nighttime deep attack squadron training mission.”
“Things are very busy leading up to a large training event like this, and I had not had time to eat during all of the last-minute planning and knee-board packet production. Knowing I had about five minutes before the last ‘tail boom update brief’, I ran across the street to the little shawarma stand that a local Turkish guy ran on our post. I grabbed a hot turkey shawarma and munched on it as I made my way over to my troop commander’s aircraft. Brief complete, we hopped into our Apaches as the sun set.”
“The entire mission consisted of a two-hour loop around Bavaria at about 500 hundred to 1000 feet, filling up at a FARP (Forward Arming and Refueling Point), proceeding to a release point, and then a nap of the earth (NOE) insertion to an attack by fire position for a simulated attack on the bad guys.”
Mission briefing and takeoff
“Things were going pretty well through the first thirty minutes of the flight, and we were hitting our ACPs (Air Control Points) plus or minus 10 seconds (which is pretty impressive in an old A-Model Apache with a Doppler nav system!), when out of nowhere, I started feeling like there was a basketball growing inside my guts! Sharp, stabbing pains in the abdomen told me that something wasn’t right. I told my back-seater that I wasn’t feeling so hot.”
“Dave was a combat medic in his previous Army MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), and gave me some wise advice. ‘Don’t let it fester… Push that gas out!’ Within a minute, I was glad I took his advice and started farting something fierce. The pressure in my guts went away, but the smell in my cockpit was pretty vile.”
When gas isn’t just gas
“The mission was progressing pretty well, and we’re now about an hour and a half into it. About 15 minutes before we were to go into our FARP, the pain hit me again. I only thought I knew what gas pains were before, but this was excruciating! I broke out in a sweat, my mouth went dry, and I felt clammy all over. Dropping my maps to the floor, all I could do was grab to ‘go fast’ handles up by my head, and begin to pray.”
“I told Dave that this was no regular gas pain and that we needed to consider aborting. He told me to start farting again, but this time I wisely ignored him. Luckily (?), we were on the part of our flight that took us relatively close to our home base. Dave called our troop commander, and told him ‘Blackjack 6, Gun One needs to RTB (Return to Base) due to incapacitated CPG’. Negative, Lead. Stop fucking around and maintain radio silence!”
“Dave was not happy to have his decision to abort squashed like that…. ‘Blackjack 6, Gun One departing flight to the west’. And with that, yanked the aircraft into a descending left turn towards our base!”
The point of no return
Covington goes on;
“The cuss words that came at us from our boss would have been funny had I not felt like I was going to barf and crap myself at the same time. I swear that my ass was smelling porcelain, because the closer we got to our base, the worse the cramping became, and the pressure against my sphincter continued to grow exponentially.”
“As Dave was getting ready to contact our tower, we heard a German Huey call in, and request the NDB approach , which was granted. As you can imagine, a Huey flying an NDB approach at night is not a quick event. Dave asked me if I wanted to call in as a medical emergency, which would have given us priority, but I said no, knowing that we would then have fire trucks, ambulances, and probably the post newspaper waiting for us on the ramp.”
“So, while I drooled all over myself and prayed to the poop Gods, we fell in behind the Huey as he completed his approach. Once the Huey made his low approach and departed, Dave requested to land directly to parking (which I didn’t even know you could do). Approved, he made a beeline for our ramp, and I really thought I was going to make it!”
The moment of truth
“Unfortunately, the second our wheels hit the ground, I lost all control of my bodily functions…”
“I felt like I was falling through my own ass as I passed what felt like gallons of hot steaming shit right into my flight suit. The smell was the most horrific thing I have ever experienced and left me in no doubt that some evil demon was inside my intestines, and casting nefarious spells on my rectum. I tried to hold myself up off the seat, but it was no use, and the seat cushion was already becoming squishy.”
“One of our crew chiefs saw us coming into parking way too early, and came running out to our spot. As he approached the aircraft to ask what was going on, I tried waving him away, and Dave was apparently pointing at me, to explain what the problem was.”
“To my horror, he reached up and opened my canopy door. It looked like he had been punched right in the face by Mike Tyson, and he went reeling backwards so fast that he tripped and fell on his ass.”
The walk of shame
“I could only sit there in agony as the blades slowed down and finally extricated myself from the cockpit. Mind you, the entire time, I am still shitting. I started the long walk towards the hangar (still shitting) and noticed that my flight boots were completely filled with diarrhea, and were now overflowing, and I left a trail of little shitty footprints all the way across the apron, through the hangar, and finally into the bathroom.”
“I sat in there, stripped down, and continued to shit for about another 15 minutes, almost non-stop and I had no idea my body even held that much liquid! Not knowing what to do, I just sat there. My trusty pal Dave finally showed up with a t-shirt wrapped around his face to somehow block the smell of death, and asked what he could do for me.”
“Following my instructions, he ran over to his place and returned with a garbage bag for my clothes, some sweats, and an entire box of baby wipes. He then called an ambulance for me, and they took me to the clinic. I received four bags of a saline IV and stayed in the clinic until the next day with a bad case of food poisoning.”
The legacy of ‘Muddy’
Covington concludes:
“I was later presented with the infamous seat cushion as a trophy of shame, and my call sign was ‘Muddy’ for a long time. Despite doing lots of neat things in the following years of my career, going off to combat numerous times, protecting great Americans on the battlefield, and dispatching scores of enemy combatants, I still occasionally meet somebody from our community, and they ask ‘Hey! Aren’t you that guy that shit himself in an Apache?'” [...]
8 July 2024Ancient grottoes meet modern tech
According to CNN, China’s Yungang Buddhist Grottoes, with their 51,000 statues carved 1,500 years ago into 252 caves and niches, are unquestionably breathtaking. However, the facilities at this World Heritage site, designated by UNESCO, have drawn more attention lately than the scenery.
A video that circulated on Chinese news and social media platforms depicts timers positioned above a row of female restroom cubicles, each equipped with a digital counter.
The pixelated LED screen turns green to indicate that a stall is empty. When in use, it displays how long the door has been locked in minutes and seconds.
A visitor is said to have taken the original video, which they then transmitted to the local newspaper published by the state, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald.
“I found it quite advanced technologically so you don’t have to queue outside or knock on a bathroom door,” the paper quoted the visitor as saying.
“But I also found it a little bit embarrassing. It felt like I was being monitored.”
The Xioxiang Morning Herald was informed by an attraction staff member that the timers were put in place to handle the surge in visitors to the attraction, which included the facilities within the tourist site.
“They aren’t there to control the durations you could use the bathrooms,” the staff member was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
“It’s impossible that we would kick someone out midway. And we aren’t setting a time limit such as five or 10 minutes for how long one could use the toilets.”
According to a park staff member, the timer has been in place since May 1st, 2024, and is primarily a safety precaution, “ensuring the well-being of all guests, in case some guests use the toilet for an extended period of time and an emergency occurs,” as reported by the state-run newspaper Nanchang Evening News.
Discussions around the announcement have been very active on China’s social media platforms. The new timers were backed by several internet users on the well-known microblogging site Weibo, who claimed that they would deter customers from sitting in the stalls and scrolling through their phones.
“A tourist site isn’t an office – who would spend their time in the toilets? Is it really necessary?” said one netizen.
“Why don’t they just spend the money on building more washrooms?” said another.
Others claimed that it would benefit people who may not be able to contact them for help in the event of a true medical emergency.
Record-breaking visitor numbers
One of the main draws in Shanxi province, northern China, is the Yungang Buddhist Grottoes, which was inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
A record 3 million people visited the ticketed scenic area in 2023, a considerable rise from 1.98 million visits in 2019, the site’s second busiest year.
Not only have the restrooms at Yungang Buddhist Grottoes been updated, but so have other areas. To increase the area’s appeal, organizers have added additional mini-attractions and new events in recent years. [...]
