Ep 8. Toilet Bomb

In this episode of MythBusters season 11, the team takes on the explosive myth of a toilet bomb. The myth suggests that flushing a lit firework down a toilet can cause a home to explode.

To test this myth, the team sets up a full bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower to get the most realistic results possible. They also use a pressure sensing device to measure any changes in the home's air pressure and a high-speed camera to capture the explosion, if any.

First, the team tests the myth with small firecrackers and finds that nothing happens. They then escalate to larger firecrackers and roman candles, which also fail to cause any significant damage. To up the ante, they even try flushing a full stick of dynamite down the toilet, with no noticeable effect.

Undeterred, the team decides to create their own toilet bomb using an industrial-grade explosive. They rig up a dummy bathroom with cameras and sensors to measure the blast, then light the fuse and wait for explosion.

To the team's surprise, the explosive causes only a small hole in the toilet bowl and no significant pressure changes in the surrounding air. This leads the team to conclude that the myth of a toilet bomb is just that - a myth.

In addition to the main myth, the team tackles several smaller myths related to toilets and bathrooms. They test whether a person can get stuck to a toilet seat due to suction, whether a snake can crawl up through the plumbing and into a toilet, and whether you should close the toilet lid before flushing to prevent bacteria from spreading.

Overall, the episode is a fun and informative look at the science of bathroom myths and explosions. The team's dedication to testing the myth of a toilet bomb with increasingly larger explosions is both impressive and entertaining, and the smaller myths provide fun diversions throughout. Fans of MythBusters will not be disappointed with this episode.