And most important of all, how does a toilet work at 40,000 feet? Matthias Balk/dpa/picture alliance/Getty ImagesUsing water to flush airplane toilets is a no go because of aircraft weight restrictions. When you press the flush button, a valve opens at the bottom of the toilet bowl, connecting it to a pipe below. Airplanes have never deliberately shot their toilet waste into the atmosphere, not even in the old days, says Jones. The onboard air circulation of today isn’t just about keeping healthy – it also controls how passengers feel, especially on longhaul flights.

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