Like it or not, the average person will spend over a year of their life on the toilet. This daily fixture has a surprisingly long history, with the first flushing toilets dating back over 4,000 years to the ancient Minoan civilization in Crete. Today, toilet technology has reached new heights, with NASA's space toilets on the International Space Station costing over $23 million and using a powerful suction system instead of water. The complete 4,500-year history of sanitation is on display at the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets in New Delhi, India. A critical invention in toilet history is the U-bend pipe, patented by Alexander Cumming in 1775, which uses a simple water seal to block harmful sewer gas from entering homes. For modern toilet cleaning, an effective, eco-friendly method involves using baking soda and white vinegar to naturally sanitize the bowl.

Want to learn more? Head over to my website www.funfactsdailypod.com and be sure to listen to my other podcasts Who ARTed: Weekly Art History for All Ages or Art Smart. For family fun, check out my son's podcast Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

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