Skip to main content

TED-Ed

A brief history of toilets - Francis de los Reyes

5,899,193 Views

8,054 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

On sunny days, citizens of ancient Rome could be found exchanging news and gossip while attending to more urgent business at the public latrines. Today, most cultures consider trips to the restroom to be a more private occasion. But even when going alone, our shared sewage infrastructure is one of the most pivotal inventions in human history. Francis de los Reyes shares the history of the toilet.

Watch the video and finish the Think section to complete the lesson.


About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

Educator
Francis de los Reyes
Director
Igor Coric
Narrator
Jack Cutmore-Scott
Storyboard Artist
Igor Coric
Animator
Igor Coric
Compositor
Igor Coric
Art Director
Igor Coric
Music
Nikola Radivojevic
Sound Designer
Nikola Radivojevic
Director of Production
Gerta Xhelo
Editorial Director
Alex Rosenthal
Producer
Bethany Cutmore-Scott
Editorial Producer
Dan Kwartler
Production Coordinator
Abdallah Ewis
Script Editor
Alex Gendler
Fact-Checker
Jennifer Nam

More from Inventions that Shape History