IF you watch many action movies, you've likely seen characters trapped in quicksand, the slurry found in forests and remote areas.
This is a common trope in older films, where the person stuck usually finds a way out—either by grabbing a long branch or by using sheer strength to pull the victim free before they sink completely. But if they do sink, do they actually die when fully submerged?
In reality, is quicksand truly deadly?
Verdict:
FALSE
Hollywood tends to over-dramatise situations, and this case is no exception. Reports of fatalities caused by quicksand are extremely rare. While anything that lands on quicksand can sink, it's almost impossible for a person to die from it. This is because the human body is much less dense than quicksand.
Both animals and humans can become trapped, but they will typically float rather than sink to the bottom. Escaping can still be challenging, however. Physicists estimate that pulling a foot out of quicksand at a rate of one centimetre per second requires roughly the same force needed to lift a medium-sized car.
If you find yourself stuck, leaning back can help you stay afloat, since human legs are generally denser than the upper body. Gentle movements can also help keep you near the surface longer. Fully submerging, as shown in movies, simply doesn’t occur in reality.
References:
https://www.britannica.com/
https://www.bbc.com/future/
https://www.iflscience.com/is-
