Can quicksand really swallow you?

The short answer

In the movies, yes. In real life, scientists found you'd only sink about halfway... but struggle, and it traps you.

The story, line by line

1. Quicksand won't swallow!
2. In the movies, it swallows you whole... gone forever.
3. But scientists tested real quicksand... They dropped in little balls, just as dense as you... and tried to make them sink.
4. Impossible! The balls just would NOT go under.
5. So if you fell in, you'd only sink about... halfway! Phew.
6. But here's the scary part...
7. When you struggle, it turns runny... then it collapses, and LOCKS you in!
8. So it can't swallow you... but it's REALLY hard to escape.
9. So whatever you do... stay calm... and don't PANIC.