Quicksand!!!

Deedee told me about a great website that has fun science experiments you can do at home. Our first choice was to make our own "quicksand" using about 1/4 box of cornstarch mixed with about 1 cup of water. When you get the right proportions, the effect is similar to quicksand. If you slap the surface, it won't splash. If you scrape some of the "solid" off the bottom of the container, it seems to turn to liquid as you lift it up. We played around with our "quicksand", and watched some of our small plastic animal friends fall victim to its effects, then tried to store it in a plastic bag to play with later (per instructions). Unfortunately, we didn't think to keep it cool, and it grew a new experiment, which we'll call "quickmold".

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000088

NOTE: if you try this at home, be sure you don't wash this solution down the sink - or this free experiment could cause some expensive plumbing issues!

Mark actually had an experience getting caught in quicksand while fishing by himself - luckily, he knew the correct procedure for escape, so he was able to free himself by lying flat and reaching for the "shore". He was covered in mud, but still breathing! I didn't realize we had quicksand here in the Midwest (it doesn't just need sand - see the website above for more information).

I copied this text from their website, as it seems important in light of Mark's close call:

Escaping from Quicksand
According to The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, escaping from quicksand is easier than you might think. Stepping into quicksand is like stepping in a pond of goo. Your weight causes you to sink. A person’s natural instinct is to thrash around in an attempt to get out. In fact, this is the worst thing you could do because you only succeed in forcing yourself down farther in the quicksand pit. The best thing to do is to move slowly to bring yourself to the surface, lie back, and try to float on your back. According to the experts, you’ll be able to use your arms to slowly paddle to safety.