Remember the time Arnold swallowed Ms. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus because he thought the bus was a Cheeto? And you got to follow them along through the digestive system, but they cheated us out of the excretion process due to Arnold sneezing? (SO LAME.) Well today, years of therapy are rendered unnecessary, because this video illustrates where your poop goes (for those of us who give a shit). Don’t worry, it’s totally safe for work — especially if you’re one of those people who takes her smartphone into the bathroom (PLEASE STOP).
To summarize, your nutrient-leached poo gets swirled together with a glorious liquid cacophony of shower water, pee, rain, and other discarded liquids, which floats through a labyrinth of pipes. Then it arrives at the wastewater treatment plant (which we all know to be a very scary place). Pebbles, used condoms, and lost iPhones are strained out, as well as oil and grease, leaving poopy water and a layer of sludge.
Then a bunch of bacteria feast on the pathogens in the water, which is disinfected and set free. The remaining sludge is also dinner for bacteria, which belches out methane that powers the wastewater treatment plant. It’s a beautiful cycle! I don’t see why THAT couldn’t be shown on public television.
