It’s been a few months since we first heard about a diabolical-sounding invention called the toilet timer and learned that they were installed at a popular tourist destination.

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Back in June, this invention made headlines when it was reported that the Yungang Buddhist Grottoes in China, a stunning tourist destination that boasts 51,000 statues carved into 252 caves and niches — all around 1,500 years old — had installed toilet timers in their restrooms. As the name implies, there is a literal timer above the toilet, and you’ve only got a limited time to, well, do your business. This sparked WILD backlash, but primarily overseas here in the United States, not over in China, where it was taking place. We’ve spent months thinking about this (no, we’re not kidding) and decided to really dive into some research. As it turns out, China was FAR from the first place to implement the concept of timed bathroom visits — they’ve actually been around in the United States alone (in a slightly less conspicuous form) for at least 16 years.

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