Short Wave Saving Water One Flush At A Time
Nov 19, 2019
In honor of World Toilet Day, a biomedical engineer unveils a slippery coating for toilet bowls that minimizes water usage while enhancing cleanliness. Listen to the humorous journey of creating synthetic poop for testing efficiency! Discover how the design of the pitcher plant inspired this innovative technology, aiming to reduce global water waste. The podcast explores both the science behind these solutions and the funny challenges of testing waste adhesion. Get ready for a flush of fun facts on toilet tech!
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The Sticky Poop Problem
- Poop sticks to toilet bowls, wasting water with each flush.
- Globally, flushing toilets uses over 140 billion liters of fresh water daily.
Pitcher Plant Inspiration
- Tak-Sing Wong's nonstick toilet coating was inspired by the pitcher plant.
- The plant's slippery surface traps bugs, which gave Wong the idea for a lubricant-infused coating.
LESS Coating
- The LESS coating has two layers: microscopic hairs and a silicon lubricant.
- This combination creates a super slippery surface, preventing poop from sticking.