If you have a rope or walking stick use that to pull them out from a safe distance. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. You might, but it would be very slow so you would have time to roll away. You can be rescued or save yourself, but only if you know what to do. which basically shows how the Coast Guard can save you. Continued movement (like thrashing around from panic) keeps the mixture more like a Quicksand is a dangerous natural phenomenon that traps humans & animals alike, leading to a slow & painful death. If everything you learned about quicksand came from watching movies, then you're dangerously misinformed.
You don't need to visit a riverbank, beach, or desert to explore the properties of quicksand. Quicksand is a colloid hydrogel consisting of sand, clay, and water. A man has died- after trying to record a video - showing how to escape QUICKSAND. As long as you make slow movements, and know some basics about escape tactics (provided above), you’ll in all likelihood be just fine. Dry quicksand was considered a potential danger during the Apollo missions. To get out of quicksand, start by taking a few deep breaths to calm down since panicking will make you sink faster. The water cannot escape so it creates a liquefied solid. Quicksand can occur anywhere in the world, as long as the conditions are right. Take a look at what quicksand is, where it occurs, and how to survive an encounter. 1. When you feel your body free of any suction, move your limbs horizontally across the surface to get out and onto solid land.Want to start taking action on the content you read on AoM?Develop a Strong He-Man Voice by Using the Voice Nature Gave YouWe use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Quicksand can be found anywhere where there are underground streams and sand. It’s not as dangerous as often portrayed; you truly won’t sink unless you panic.2. Undisturbed quicksand appears solid, but it's really a gel. Because your body is less dense than quicksand, you can't fully sink unless you panic and struggle too much or you're weighed down by something heavy. However, again, the chances of that occurring are small. If you step into quicksand in real life, you don't sink until you drown. As long as you make slow movements, and know some basics about escape tactics (provided above), you’ll in all likelihood be just fine. Slow movements allow you to get on top of the sand rather than create suction.3. Basically, you can’t maintain your body temperature when half of you is encased in sand. Keeping your wits about you will make the escape process easier. The video – somewhat disturbing – shows the man gradually sinking into the quicksand, never coming back up and presumed dead as the clip ends abruptly. Quicksand was once something that kids feared, and adults thought was a seriously dangerous real-life scenario. Technically speaking, quicksand is a non-Newtonian fluid. Yes. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. You can find quicksand all over the world when the conditions are right. Rumour is that he died, since no follow up video […] When people hear the word quicksand they normally picture some kind of death trap that will suck you under and drown you, but the reality is that quicksand isn’t anywhere near as dangerous as people think. Struggling/panicking leads to air pockets in the sand, which creates suction, which pulls you deeper. You can be rescued or save yourself, but only if you know what to do. By leaning back, and spreading your arms, you create more surface area, allowing your body to float rather than sink.6. Drop everything. First, this natural phenomenon can’t happen just anywhere; it requires some sort of underground water reserve, so in the U.S., you’re most likely to find it in the swamps/marshes of the Southeast, or the canyon regions of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. It's true you don't sink in quicksand until you're submerged. Shoe… A rescuer can’t simply pull a victim out of quicksand. The trick to escaping the trap is to move slowly and try to float. It appears solid until a sudden change in pressure or shock initiates liquefaction. The good news is that after reading this article, the risk of such a suffering such a horrific death will be greatly diminished as long as you keep your cool. Should I reach for normal sand when stuck in quicksand? Generally Quicksand causes suffocation which causes death. Using the tips above, you can rest assured that won’t be you! Just about any sand or silt can temporarily become quicksand if it is sufficiently saturated with water and/or subjected to vibrations, such as those that occur during an earthquake. Really, the only way to drown from the quicksand is to fall into it head first or face first.