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Dry Quicksand

Posted by michael on from the ROUS dept.

chessie writes "Just in time for the holidays, new and improved quicksand! The new dry quicksand is a physical curiousity, made with air and sand instead of water with porewater pressure overcoming the density of sand . It is possible to vanish into a pile of completely dry sand as well. Worse, their sand looks the same as the normal, weight-supporting variety. Obviously, the US Army wants in on it."

2 of 36 comments (clear)

  1. Porewater is.... by Somegeek · · Score: 4, Informative
    "Porewater is the minute water-filled area around and between sand particles."

    I had never heard the term before and it doesn't seem to be in the referenced article. I had to Google for 5 minutes before I found a decent definition.

    Definition credit goes to Bob Goemans & Sam Gamble http://www.saltcorner.com/sections/guest/goemans&g amble/sandbedspart1.htm

    --
    And as you tread the halls of sanity, You feel so glad to be, Unable to go beyond. I have a message, From another time..
  2. Discovery by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    On the Discovery Channel, MythBusters drown quicksand!