What is this?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

But seriously, what major breakthroughs in toilet technology have there been in the last 100 years?

You joke, but with new laws every decade or so saying that you can only use a thimble full of water to flush a toilet, the manufacturers have had to work really hard to keep the toilets flushing well with less and less water. The size and shape of the drain are very important. When you make it skinnier, the velocity increases, which helps the flush, but you make it too skinny and it starts to clog. And the bend of the drain plays a role too, as does the tank design. It's serious business.