Some have even posited that the open-front seat accommodates various body shapes and sizes that the closed seat just cannot. But the lavatory mystery has been solved. The mystery of the horseshoe ...

Bathroom-goers have long-wondered why public restrooms often feature toilets that are missing the front portion of the seat, ...

Open-front toilet seats — sometimes referred to as “U-shaped” or “split” seats — are almost exclusively affixed to toilets in publicly accessible bathrooms or commercial spaces.

Experts, including Hugo Aguilar of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), explained that open front toilet seats were designed to keep people from spreading ...