Bill Gates, nowadays basking in the accolades his philanthropy provides, noticed that toilets kind of suck in the developing world. Wanting to help stop the spread of communicable diseases, he’s ready to put down $US41.5 million for potty advancements.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is prepared to give that huge sum of money to universities that push poor nations’ toilets into the modern era. They don’t have to have ambient lights or mini-tablets. Rather, they should reinvent the concept by being sustainable, not relying on a sewer connection or electricity. Proposals have drawn up toilets powered by heat, microwaves, or solar panels, all to help prevent bacterial and parasitic infections.
I can’t imagine what a microwave powered toilet would even look like, but any idea that shields you from diarrhea is a good one. [LAT via Village Voice]
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