Hoax Hunters: Can a lake turn animals to stone?

Summary

Brains On! – Hoax Hunters: Can a Lake Turn Animals to Stone?

Podcast: Brains On! Science podcast for kids
Episode Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Molly Bloom
Co-host: Jade (Jefferson City, Missouri)
Special Segment Hosts: Mark & Sandon
Expert Guest: Neovita Sianga (African People and Wildlife)

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Episode Overview

This episode tackles the wild claim that Tanzania's Lake Natron can "turn animals to stone." Is this just a viral myth, or is there real science behind it? Molly and her kid co-host Jade team up with Brains On’s “Hoax Hunters” (Mark and Sandon) to investigate where this myth comes from, what's actually happening at the lake, and what makes Lake Natron both mysterious and scientifically fascinating.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing the Mystery ([02:09–04:54])

• Jade’s Question: Jade sends in a question after seeing a TV show claim that animals turn to stone in Lake Natron.
  • Jade: "How does Lake Natron in Tanzania turn living things to stone? I saw it on a TV show once..." [04:54]
• Molly and Jade discuss how info online can sometimes be true, sometimes not, and how important it is to verify facts.

Meet the Hoax Hunters ([06:35–07:39])

• Mark and Sandon, the fun Hoax Hunters team, are brought in to check out the claim.
• They ham it up with jokes, singing, and pretend confusion over their “cleaning crew” role, setting a playful tone.

Setting the Scene: What is Lake Natron? ([08:42–10:05])

• Lake Natron’s Features: Over 30 miles long, fed by a river and hot springs.
• Water can be hot (over 100°F), sometimes bright red, “like watermelon juice.”
• The color comes from minerals and microbes in the water.

The Viral Myth: "A Lake That Turns Animals to Stone" ([10:10–12:20])

• Clips & Social Media: Audio snippets mimic dramatic social media posts claiming Lake Natron instantly petrifies animals.
  • Mark: “Animals that touch its water, they don't come back. The lake's name is Natron and it literally turns animals into stone.” [10:19]
• Sandon: “If there really was a lake that could turn things into stone instantly, you'd think there'd be videos of this.”

The Science vs. The Myth ([12:20–13:04], [16:44–19:07])

• No instant petrification: While photos show animal “statues,” the calcification only happens after animals die.
• Expert interview: Neovita Sianga (African People and Wildlife) explains:
  • Neovita: “When the animals die in or near the lake, their bodies can be calified or mummified by the sodium carbonate in the water.” [17:07]
  • Neovita: “It's so important to note... it doesn't turn live animals instantly into stones. The calcification happens after the death.” [17:41]
• Mechanism:
  • The highly alkaline, mineral-rich water desiccates (dries out) animal remains over weeks/months/years, preserving them as calcified “statues.”
  • The process is slow—not instant, unlike the myth.

Lake Natron's Vibrant Ecosystem ([19:20–21:12])

• Despite its harsh chemistry, animals not only survive but thrive.
  • Neovita: “The flamingos are the most famous... almost 75% of the global population of these birds depend on this Lake Natron.” [21:01]
• Flamingos & Color: Microbes produce pigments that turn the water red and also help turn flamingos pink when they eat the microbes.
  • Mark: “Lesser flamingos love chilling in Lake Natron. It's like the premier lesser flamingo party destination.” [19:48]
• Certain fish and abundant sugary microbes live there, too.

Environmental Threats & Conservation ([21:22–22:13])

• The lake is threatened by climate change and encroachment.
• Conservationists work with local communities to protect this unique ecosystem.

The Origin of the Lake Natron Hoax ([22:33–28:46])

• Photographer Nick Brandt (2013) is responsible for viral images:
  • He found calcified birds and bats, posed them for photos to look “alive again in death.” The dramatic staged photos went viral, leading people to think petrification is instant.
  • Social media posts shared the images without the photographer’s context, fueling the myth.
• Hoaxbusters’ Advice: Always check your sources!
  • Sandon: “Pictures travel faster than words, especially online... The wilder the picture, the more you should question it.” [28:01]

Extra Science: Phantom Rain ([25:05–25:57])

• A side phenomenon at Lake Natron—rain often evaporates in the heat before hitting the ground, called "phantom rain."

Closing Reactions ([29:18–30:39])

• Jade: “I felt worried for the animals.” Now relieved that many are fine and even flourish at the lake.
• Molly: “Now, knowing that there are actually animals who live there who are happy... how does that make you feel now?"
  Jade: “Excited.” [29:52]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Molly Bloom: “The world is full of wild, hard to believe stories... But what if the wild thing you heard was about a very real place?" [02:09]
• Mark (on skepticism): “Consider me a skeptify.” [11:42]
• Neovita Sianga: “It doesn't turn live animals instantly into stones. The calcification happens after the death, not while they are alive.” [17:41]
• Mark: “The wilder the picture, the more you should question it.” [28:40]
• Jade: “I felt worried for the animals... but now I feel excited.” [29:33–29:52]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Jade poses the episode’s main question: [04:54]
• Introduction of Lake Natron and its features: [08:42–10:05]
• Clips of the viral myth and skepticism: [10:10–12:20]
• Expert science segment with Neovita Sianga: [16:47–19:07]
• Details about the lake’s ecosystem: [19:20–21:12]
• Threats and conservation efforts: [21:22–22:13]
• Origins of the hoax (Nick Brandt photos): [22:33–28:46]
• “Phantom rain” sidebar: [25:05–25:57]
• Co-host reactions and summary: [29:18–30:39]

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Tone and Style

The episode is upbeat, fun, and gently skeptical, combining curiosity with fact-checking and a ton of playful, kid-friendly banter. Mark and Sandon’s “Hoax Hunters” segments add humor and encourage critical thinking without ever talking down to the audience.

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Takeaways

• Lake Natron does NOT instantly turn living things to stone! Only the remains of dead animals are gradually calcified over time due to special minerals.
• The myth spread because of sensational photos and misunderstanding.
• Lake Natron is a vital habitat for flamingos and other wildlife, its dramatic look due to unique microbes and salts.
• Always check your sources—especially if something sounds unbelievable!

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Episode’s Big Lesson

“The wilder the picture, the more you should question it." – Mark [28:40]

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Transcript

[Narrator]

Hey grownups. We're taking a moment out here to share a great podcast from bestselling author and PBS host Kelly Corrigan. We think you'll love. It's called Kelly Corrigan Wonders. Kelly Corrigan Wonders is built around thoughtful, in depth conversations with people whose lives reflect curiosity, creativity and humility. For the past five years, Kelly Corrigan has been sitting down with big thinkers and doers, and she has some great guests coming up, including NBA coach Steve Kerr, Rachel writer George Saunders, and father Greg Boyle. Each episode is both inspiring and practical, offering ideas and perspectives that feel especially useful as we look ahead to a new year. These conversations explore how people think, how they make meaning, and how they approach life with intention. The show is sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation. Kelly Corrigan Wonders has more than 20 million downloads and thousands of five star reviews with past guests ranging from Melinda Gates to Judd Apatow to Bono, Bryan Stevenson and Jennifer Garner. You can listen to Kelly Horrigan Wonders in your favorite podcast app now.

[Molly Bloom]

Lemonada. Before we start the show, we just wanna let you know that Brains on is going on tour. We're coming to cities across the US And Canada this year. So New Jersey, we're coming your way. First we're gonna be in Newark on January 17th and Red bank on January 18th. Then it's off to San Diego on the and anaheim on the 24th. You can get your [e-mail] events and we've got a lot more dates that are coming up too, like Seattle and Vancouver. And we're gonna be announcing more very, very very soon. So you can go to brainson.org events to see the latest cities. You can come see us sing, dance, do magic and teach you all about the brain. That's brainson.org events. We can't wait to party with you. See you soon.

[Jade]

Brains on Universe. You're listening to Brains on where we're serious about being curious.

[Molly Bloom]

The world is full of wild, hard to believe stories. Long necked monsters living in lakes, hairy beasts stomping through forests, bug eyed aliens zooming through the sky. Most of it is pretty easy to spot as a myth or a straight up hoax. But what if the wild thing you heard was about a very real place? One you could find on a map? Today's episode is about a lake in Tanzania, part of Eastern Africa. It sits near an active volcano, has bright red water and some say it can turn living things to stone. Sounds like something from a fairy tale. It's gotta be a hoax, right? Well, sort of. Turns out the truth is much cooler than the myths. Stick around. Hi, Molly and Mark here. We want to talk to you about something important. Lonely facts.

[Mark]

At Brains on, we're always finding facts that are lonely and need a home.

[Molly Bloom]

And by a home, we mean they need a head to live in. Because if no one knows about a cool fact, it's just really sad. Like look at this poor little fact here. There were once active volcanoes on the moon.

[Mark]

People should know that.

[Molly Bloom]

Or this one.

[Jade]

Lobsters have blue blood.

[Mark]

Such a cool fact. It should be in everyone's noggin.

[Molly Bloom]

That's why we started our Adopt a Fact program. We want to find a head for every cool fact to live in.

[Mark]

And this important work is funded by SmartyPass. When you join SmartyPass, you not only get ad free versions of all our shows, invites to virtual hangouts with us, and discounts on merch. You also help put more lonely facts into people's heads.

[Molly Bloom]

Don't be fooled by AI programs that say they are helping spread facts in reality. Many of them are spitting out made up stuff called hallucinations. But our shows are full of real facts. We find them by talking to experts and by reading scientific papers. And they are also cute and inspiring like this little fellow. Just like some people are allergic to pets, some pets are allergic to people.

[Mark]

You go little fact. So if facts matter to you, go to brainson.org and join Smartypass.

[Molly Bloom]

Help us help facts. Thank you.

[Mark]

Brainzon.

[Molly Bloom]

You're listening to Brainz, part of the Brainzone universe. I'm Molly Bloom and I'm joined by Jade from Jefferson City, Missouri. Hi Jade.

[Jade]

Hi, Molly.

[Molly Bloom]

So, Jade, you inspired today's episode after you sent us a very curious question. I'm going to play it right now.

[Jade]

My name is Jade from Jefferson City, Missouri and my question is how does Lake Natron in Tanzania turn living things to stone? I saw it on a TV show once and it made me wonder if living things really turned to stone in that lake and what the scientific explanation is.

[Molly Bloom]

That is a very, very interesting question. And I have to admit I'd never heard of Lake Netron before you sent this question. So when you heard that, I mean, you wrote to us, you had questions about it. Do you believe it was true?

[Jade]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

And so when you were learning about it, did it feel to you like the animal turned into stone, like immediately or like how, how did it happen in your mind when you heard about it?

[Jade]

I think it did it immediately.

[Molly Bloom]

Cool. Yeah, a lot of that it seems like it does because the pictures they show kind of like, have the animals kind of like, frozen, like they're stone. So when you hear something that's like a new piece of information, you're like, wow, can that be true? What do you usually do?

[Jade]

I look up it on the Internet.

[Molly Bloom]

And does your mom help you do that on the Internet now? There's a lot of information. So much information. There's so much good information. And there's also information that's not exactly true or accurate. So it's kind of hard to tell sometimes what's true and what's not. With that in mind, I asked Mark and Sandon to join us. When it comes to figuring out what to believe, there's nobody like Mark and Sandon.

[Mark]

Singing cleaning crew Wiping, wiping smudges away.

[Sandon]

Gonna make those dust bunnies pay We've.

[Mark]

Come to clean and not to play yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Um, hey, guys, we actually called you in for a different reason.

[Sandon]

Not our singing cleaning service. Vacuum. The dirt stands. No chance. It's a vacuum.

[Jade]

No, we need the Hoax Hunters.

[Mark]

Oh, Hoax Hunters, the show where Sanon and I look into wild claims to see if they are true or not?

[Molly Bloom]

Exactly.

[Sandon]

We figured when you texted us saying you needed help clearing something up, we thought you meant a mess.

[Mark]

Yeah, but you actually need help clearing up whether or not something is a hoax. Gotcha. Consider it done. We'll take it from here.

[Sandon]

And we'll be back, back, back for those cookie crumbs later.

[Mark]

Goodbye.

[Jade]

Thanks. Mark and Sandon, let us know what.

[Sandon]

Sandin and Mark here. We're two dudes who love finding out.

[Mark]

What'S true and what's bogus.

[Sandon]

Today we are broadcasting from a top secret, heavily guarded, undisclosed location.

[Mark]

Wait, wait, wait. I thought we were in the Brainzon basement.

[Sandon]

Zip it. Ignore him. We are definitely in a top secret fortress that no one ever.

[Mark]

Oh, the bed sheets are done drying. Hold on a sec.

[Sandon]

Okay, fine.

[Molly Bloom]

Yes.

[Sandon]

We're in the basement and it's time for Hoax Hunters.

[Mark]

We like myths, but we hate getting tricks. Yeah, we like myths, but we hate getting tricked. We like myths, but we hate getting tricked. We hate getting tricked. No, we don't like it. Today we're investigating a claim that there's a lake in Tanzania that churns living things into stone.

[Sandon]

The lake in question is called Lake Natron. It's in Eastern Africa, and it's definitely unusual.

[Mark]

It's pretty big. It can be over 30 miles long and 15 miles wide, depending on the season, and it sits near an active volcano. But what really stands out is. Is the color of the water Sometimes.

[Sandon]

In some parts, the water is a brilliant shade of red.

[Mark]

Picture a cup of watermelon juice.

[Sandon]

Easy pictured.

[Mark]

Now imagine a lake of that stuff.

[Molly Bloom]

Whoa.

[Mark]

In satellite images, it can even look like a lake of lava.

[Sandon]

Again, whoa.

[Mark]

But sometimes the water is just water colored and the lake just looks like a lake.

[Sandon]

Whoa, wait. Sorry, that's not woe worthy. That's just normal stuff.

[Mark]

Lake Natron is fed by a river, but some of the water comes up from underground hot springs.

[Sandon]

Which means the water in the lake is like a freshly microwaved burrito. Really hot.

[Mark]

Yow. Over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

[Sandon]

And it's full of minerals. Specifically a lot of a mineral called Natron.

[Mark]

Hence the name.

[Sandon]

So that's the lake. But what's with these claims?

[Mark]

In northern Tanzania, there's a blood red lake so deadly it can mummify animals just by touching them.

[Sandon]

Sounds crazy, but it's true.

[Mark]

Animals that touch its water, they don't come back. The lake's name is Natron and it literally turns animals into stone. Wander too close and it preserves you. Eyes open, wings spread like you were frozen mid flight. Those are clips pulled from actual social media posts about Lake Natron. Some have real pictures of the lake, but a lot of them use animation or digitally created images. None of them show a video of something turning to stone.

[Sandon]

Hmm, that's sus. As in I'm not ready to believe it yet. It's suspect. If there really was a lake that could turn things into stone instantly, you'd think there'd be videos of this.

[Mark]

If you do a search, there are pictures of stone, like animals from the lake. Frozen birds perched on branches or laying on the shore. They look somewhere between a skeleton and a statue.

[Sandon]

But there are also lots of pictures of living things just hanging out near the lake. They look totally fine. So what's going on? Can a lake turn living things into stone? It's a big wild claim, so your first instinct should be to get skeptical.

[Mark]

Get skeptical?

[Sandon]

That means to put your mental shields up and you question what you hear before you believe.

[Mark]

Consider me a skeptify.

[Sandon]

Turning creatures to stone is something you see in movies or maybe hear about in stories.

[Mark]

In Greek mythology, there was Medusa. She had living snakes for hair. One look at her would petrify a person.

[Sandon]

Instant statue In Harry Potter there was the Basilisk statue ofying people at Hogwarts. In the show Wednesday, there's Ajax, who's a gorgon with snake hair. He can stonify you. If he takes off his hat, you.

[Mark]

Also, see, people turned into stone in the Narnia series, in the Zelda games, in folk tales, and in anime. It's a pretty common theme.

[Sandon]

But in real life, animals are turning like statues, but not like you see in movies or tv.

[Mark]

And there's a lot of really cool science happening at Lake Natron. We'll tell you about it in a minute. But first, Sandit, we should really fold these sheets.

[Sandon]

Oh, man, I was hoping you were going to say that. I hate when my pillowcases get all wrinkly. Oh, but who's going to fold the fitted sheet? Not it.

[Mark]

Oh, man. Fine, I'll do it. Be right back. Fitted sheets are so hard to fold. Where are the corners on these things? I can't even see it.

[Molly Bloom]

Hey, Jade, while we wait to hear the rest of the story from Mark and Sandon, do you want to wade into another mystery?

[Jade]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

It's time for the mystery, Sal. You ready, Jade? All right, here it is. So what are your guesses?

[Jade]

I think it's like somebody, like, typing on their computer.

[Molly Bloom]

Ooh, yes. Because it's kind of clicky sounding. Do you want to hear it again?

[Jade]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay. Any new thoughts?

[Jade]

Or like somebody clipping somebody's hair with scissors?

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, that's really good. I really like that guess. When I heard it this time, it almost had, like, a beat to it. It was like, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Maybe it was someone really tiny playing the drums like a cricket. Or for some reason, I'm picturing a cricket playing the drums. I think your guess is more reasonable. Scissors or typing. Okay, well, we'll hear it again. Get another chance to guess and hear the answer at the end of the show.

[Jade]

So keep listening.

[Molly Bloom]

We are working on an episode all about how we divide up generations. You and all the kids you know are in the same generation. Which name would you give your generation? Right now, people are calling you Gen Alpha, which is kind of boring. It basically just means Generation A listeners, please write to us and tell us what you think. What would you call your generation? You can head to brainzon.org contact and send us your recording. Today's episode is sponsored by bombas. Okay, this is the time of year where people keep asking about your 2026 resolutions. I've got a bunch. I'd like to be more patient. I want to eat more fiber. But let's be honest, at the top of my list this year is to get comfy. And that's where BOMBAS comes in. They're bringing serious comfort to all my everyday Go tos. My family has been a Bombas family for years. And the all new Bombas sports socks are engineered with sport specific comfort for running, golfing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding and you know, just walking around the neighborhood. This year I'm going to take my dog on longer walks and these socks are perfect for it. They're cushioned where I need it most, sweat wicking and loaded with other tech features to keep me comfy and locked in. And for my resolution to hang out at home and read more books, well, Bombas has me covered with the comfiest footwear imaginable. There's the luxurious Sherpa Sunday slippers that feel like walking on clouds. The perfect cozy slipper to keep my feet warm while I cuddle up with a good book. Head over to bombas.com family26 and use code family26 for 20% off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S.com family26 code family26 at checkout.

[Sandon]

We don't believe everything we're told.

[Mark]

And when we see laundry, we gotta fold.

[Sandon]

Where the hoax hunter sings and cleaning crew. Ah, all folded. Nice.

[Mark]

Okay, back to.

[Molly Bloom]

Oats hunters.

[Sandon]

To find out what's really going on with Lake Natron.

[Mark]

The lake, some people say can turn animals to stone.

[Sandon]

We called up someone who's been there. Neovita Sianga works for African People and Wildlife.

[Mark]

That's an organization that helps people keep Africa's wild resources healthy.

[Sandon]

He works with local communities around Lake Natron to protect the lake. We asked him about the water turning things to stone.

[Neovita Sianga]

It's real. This is something real. So how does it happen? When the animals die in or near the lake, their bodies can be calified or mummified by the sodium carbonate in the water.

[Mark]

Calcified means the minerals in the lake harden the dead animal's body. Basically, it gets turned into something hard like a statue, but not actual stone. But there's a very huge and important detail about this that a lot of those sensational videos missed.

[Neovita Sianga]

It's so important to note here that it doesn't turn live animals instantly into stones. The calcification happens after the death, not while they are alive.

[Sandon]

Did you catch that? This isn't a touch it and you turn to stone kind of lake. The process takes a very long time. Weeks, months, maybe years. The animals that people find around the lake looking like stone, they died and ended up in the lake. Then the water changed their corpses over time.

[Mark]

Here's how it works. The water in Lake Natron is filled with minerals like the one called natron. It's also very alkaline, which means it's sort of like bleach.

[Sandon]

Nasty, harsh stuff. Your skin would be super irritated if you dunked your hand in there, but you wouldn't turn to stone.

[Mark]

But if an animal dies and ends up in that water, over time, the minerals in the lake would suck out the moisture and fat from that dead.

[Sandon]

Body, drying it out like a wet sponge baking in the sun. The minerals would build up in the.

[Mark]

Carcass and what would be left is a hard calcified body and it would be well preserved like it was mummified.

[Sandon]

In fact, in ancient Egypt, people used similar chemicals to mummify bodies.

[Mark]

But again, this is a slow process. The minerals need time to do their thing, which is why it only works with dead animals, because dead animals can't move.

[Sandon]

So the lake that turns things to stone is not a total myth, but it's also not as dangerous as some people make it out to be.

[Mark]

We hunted that myth so good, bro.

[Sandon]

Ah, yeah, we don't miss when it comes to mystery.

[Mark]

Okay, cool. Fact alert. Turns out there are animals that live and thrive in this lake too.

[Sandon]

Here's Neo Vitis again.

[Neovita Sianga]

So definitely the flamingos are the most famous ones. And Natron is one of the most important breeding site of flamingos, specifically a.

[Mark]

Type called the lesser flamingo. They love chilling in Lake Natron. It's like the premier lesser flamingo party destination.

[Sandon]

Flamingos are for real super tough. Their scaly legs do just fine in that ultra hot, chemical filled lake water. And that harsh water keeps baddies who want to eat them away. So Lake Natron is a really great spot for these birds.

[Neovita Sianga]

Almost 75% of the global population of these birds depend on this Lake Natron.

[Sandon]

There are also certain fish that can live in the lake, and there are teeny tiny microbes living in that water too.

[Mark]

Microbes are super small organisms. The ones at Lake Natron actually eat the salty minerals and they make a reddish pigment, which is what gives the lake that striking color.

[Sandon]

And the lake, it doesn't really drain anywhere. So when the water evaporates, the lake just gets shallower. But all the salts and the microbes, they stay behind and they build up over time. That's when it starts looking really red. So the color is actually thanks to a microbe pigment.

[Neovita Sianga]

The same pigment is the one that makes the lesser flamingos pink because that's what they eat most of the time. So they eat the microbes from the.

[Sandon]

Lake that's true of all flamingos, by the way. The pink comes from microbes. Now you know, yo.

[Mark]

Take a look around the lake and you'll find leopards, elephants, lions, giraffes and people. It's a place full of life, but.

[Sandon]

Like lots of cool spots in nature, it needs to be protected. Climate change is heating the area up, leading to more and more evaporation, and.

[Mark]

Rainfall is getting less predictable, so the lake isn't filling like it used to.

[Sandon]

Plus, people are moving herds of animals through the area, which can make the soil kind of crumbly and dry. And that makes it easier for big chunks of earth to kind of slide off into the lake, which messes with the delicate balance of chemicals in the water.

[Mark]

All of these reasons and more are why people like Neovitas and the African People and Wildlife Group are working to protect Lake Natron.

[Sandon]

Thanks, Neovetus. Keep that flamingo party spot hopping.

[Mark]

And if you need a cleaner, give us a call.

[Sandon]

Yeah, we'd clean it. We'd clean it. I mean, we'd charge, but we'd clean it. So it turns out Lake Natron can calcify a dead animal, but it takes time. So where did the myth of Lake Natron turning animals instantly into stone come from?

[Mark]

There's a good story here and a good lesson in checking your sources.

[Sandon]

ACYs, dude. Always check your sources. Plus, we'll tell you about another cool thing that happens at Lake Phantom Rain.

[Mark]

You won't need an umbrella for that, so stick around, because it's coming up right after the mailbag.

[Molly Bloom]

Hello, it's me, Molly, again. We love getting mail from you. It is truly the very, very best. One of our favorite things to get in the mail is drawings. And since this is a podcast, audio only, and we can't show them to you, I'm going to describe a couple. Chelsea from Portland, Oregon, actually sent us physical mail. You can find that address at our website, brainzonn.org she cut four circles on paper, and on each one, she. She drew a fabulous replica of the brains on smashboom. Best Forever Ago and Moment of Logos. The attention to detail is inspiring. Like each little item on the forever ago shelves. The different colors of all the ums on the moment of one. Excellent work, Chelsea. Thank you for sending it to us. Oh, and then here's another one. This is a photo from Cora and Noah from Arlington, Virginia. And they wrote, we want to show you a picture of this cool carrot. It looks like it's a person crossing its legs. Enjoy. And you know what? This carrot does exactly look like a person crossing their legs. And I did enjoy. So whether you have a drawing of Mark and San unfolding towels, Wombat Pete playing hacky sack, or you just want to send us a photo of a cool carrot, we love getting mail from you. Head to brainzon.org contact to reach out. Thanks. Brainzonn is independent, which means without your support, we wouldn't exist. If you join Smartypass, you can get all our episodes without ads. Plus you can get a custom message from me or Joy for a birthday, graduation, or whatever. Go to brainzon.org to sign up. Thanks.

[Sandon]

Welcome back to Hoax Hunters.

[Mark]

They really like to clean. That's Sandon, and I'm Mark, and we're talking about Lake Natron.

[Sandon]

A very real place with some pretty.

[Mark]

Unreal features like Phantom Rain. Picture this. You're hiking around Lake Natron, enjoying the wild landscape. Oh, a herd of wild giraffes. You wipe your brow. Sweaty sweat. Boy, it's a hot one here. Typical in this part of Africa. But look, rain clouds headed your way. You don't have an umbrella, so you start heading back to the jeep as fast as you can. The clouds are rolling in faster and faster. You've got a long way to go. Looks like you might lose this race. So you give up and decide to get soaked. The clouds come in raining right overhead.

[Molly Bloom]

And.

[Mark]

Nothing, Not a drop. It's phantom rain.

[Sandon]

This happens when it's so hot that rain evaporates before it hits the ground. Wild but true. Now let's get back to the story of Lake Natron.

[Mark]

As you remember, people made some wild claims about the lake. It literally turns animals into stone. It can mummify animals just by touching them. Wander too close and it preserves you. As we learned, the lake only turns dead things to stone. And it takes a long time, which, last time I checked, is the opposite of instant.

[Sandon]

So where did this myth come from? Turns out we have a pretty good idea of how this rumor started.

[Mark]

The year was 2013. Taylor Swift was on tour with her Red Album.

[Sandon]

The words twerk and selfie made it into the Oxford English Dictionary.

[Molly Bloom]

Let me take a selfie of me twerking.

[Mark]

People were watching Iron Man 3, Despicable Me 2, and Frozen Part 1.

[Sandon]

And Lake Natron made headlines thanks to a photographer named Nick Brandt.

[Mark]

Nick published a book of photos from Africa called Across the Ravaged Land. Nick is a nature photographer, and his goal with the book was to call attention to how humans and habitat loss were hurting the nature in that part of the world.

[Sandon]

In the book There are pictures of Lake Natron. Specifically, it shows petrified birds and bats that died around the lake.

[Mark]

But to make it more dramatic, Nick took these animals he found and posed them in lifelike positions. Some were sitting on a branch, others perched on a rock.

[Sandon]

In the book, he says he posed them like that so that they'd look quote, alive again in death, unquote. It made it look like the animals were turned to stone while they were just sitting there minding their own business.

[Mark]

When people saw these photos, they assumed it had happened instantly because the pictures made it look like these animals were still sitting upright and living when it happened.

[Sandon]

But anyone who read more about it would have known that these were staged photos. Sometimes, though, pictures travel faster than words, especially online.

[Mark]

So the myth of the lake that turns living things to stone went viral.

[Sandon]

But now you know the truth.

[Mark]

It's a good reminder. When you see something unbelievable, try to find out where it came from. If you can't track down the name of the photographer, that's a bad sign.

[Sandon]

And even if you find out who shot the pic, try to read more about how they took the photo. Was it part of an art project where they were trying to make pictures that look like a fantasy? Did they use Photoshop to change the pictures digitally? Or did they pose a bunch of petrified animals to make them look alive?

[Mark]

The wilder the picture, the more you should question it.

[Sandon]

So that's the scoop on Lake Natron.

[Mark]

Have you seen something hard to believe online? Have you heard a myth? You want fact checked? Send it to hoax [e-mail] contact.

[Sandon]

And if you have stubborn grease stains that you need scrubbed off your stove, call Mark and Sandon's Singing Cleaning Service.

[Mark]

We love myths, but we hate baked down grease.

[Sandon]

Yeah. Back to you, Jade and Molly, Hoax hunters, over and out.

[Mark]

Don't get hoaxed.

[Molly Bloom]

So what surprises you about what we learned?

[Jade]

How the animals die and then they turn into, like, looking like stone, but they're not stone.

[Molly Bloom]

Totally. What feeling did you have when you first learned about it?

[Jade]

I felt worried for the animals.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, I would be too, because you're like, wait a second. This lake, if they touch it, they turn to stone. I don't want that to happen to the cute animals. Right. So now, knowing that there's actually animals who live there who are happy and it doesn't turn them to stone, how does that make you feel now?

[Jade]

Excited.

[Molly Bloom]

That's awesome. So maybe we can go visit and say hi to the flamingos and give them high fives or something. Do you think Flamingos give high fives? No, probably not. They don't even have a hand with five fingers. That would be too hard. Maybe we can just salute them from a distance. That might be better. Yeah. Thank you so much, Jade, for sending in your question. And to anyone else with a question about a wild claim, send it to [e-mail] Lake Natron is a real lake in Tanzania, Africa.

[Jade]

The water there sometimes looks red, and.

[Molly Bloom]

It'S full of chemicals that can petrify.

[Jade]

Dead animals, but it doesn't turn them to stone instantly.

[Molly Bloom]

It takes a long time for them to be calcified. Lake Natron is also an important place for lots of animals like the lesser.

[Jade]

Flamingo, so it's important we protect it.

[Molly Bloom]

That's it for this episode of Brains On. This episode was produced by Mark Sanchez, San Anton Tauten, and me, Molly Bloom. Special thanks to Madison, Washington and Vicki Lintour. Okay, Jade, let's take a listen to that mystery sound again. Here it is. All right. What do you think this time?

[Jade]

I think it's somebody typing the computer.

[Molly Bloom]

All right, I think that's a great guess. I'm gonna go with your guess. My cricket guess? Probably unlikely, I would say. All right, here is the answer.

[Jade]

Hi, my name is Alexander. I am from South Jordan, Utah. My mystery sound is a trigger release. Ice cream scoop.

[Molly Bloom]

What? An ice cream scoop.

[Jade]

I could have never guessed that.

[Molly Bloom]

Me neither. So have you seen those ice cream scoops that have, like, a little thing on the side that helps the ice cream come out, like a little.

[Jade]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I never would have guessed that. Very tricky mystery sound. Do you like ice cream, though?

[Jade]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Me, too. What's your favorite flavor?

[Jade]

Chocolate and vanilla mixed.

[Molly Bloom]

My favorite is chocolate with rainbow sprinkles. Do you like any toppings?

[Jade]

Oreos.

[Molly Bloom]

So good. Okay, we may not have gotten the mystery sound correct, but next time we see each other, we're getting ice cream. Don't you think?

[Jade]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Now it's time for the Brains honor roll. These are the incredible kids who keep the show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives. Tino from Nashville. Charlie from Portland, Oregon. Ryder from Crested Butte, Colorado. Kieran from Odonton, Maryland. Ian from Alexandria, Virginia. Iona from Moreland Hills, Ohio. Julia from Montreal. Finn and Jack from Columbus, Ohio. Wesley from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Dolly and aaron from Washington, D.C. pranav from India. Aaliyah from Shenzhen, China. Ashton and Miles from Mukilteo, Washington. Lucy, Faye and Thea from Rossville, Indiana. Sam and Gabe from Frankfort, Delaware. Mary and Maggie from Tewksbury, Massachusetts Neil from Fremont, California Celly and Campbell from York, Pennsylvania Alex from Realmette, Illinois Vion from Chicago Sun, Woo and Jiwoo from Oakville, Ontario Eileen from Ankara, Turkey Eli from Watertown Carter from Lewisville, Texas Lily, Joy and Benaya James from Midwest City, Oklahoma Alistair from Seattle Jackson from Honolulu Joey from Swanchang, China Alaina from Houston, Texas, Texas Lawrence and Carson from Kaiser Slaughter in Germany Nora from Amesbury, Massachusetts Asher from Amsterdam Ethan from Houston, Texas Declayan from Waxahachie, Texas JJ from Beaver, Pennsylvania Lucy from Bloomington, Illinois Izzy and Jack from Lower Marion, Pennsylvania Fox from Grand Prairie, Alberta Lucy and Colin from Crozette, Virginia Elijah from New Zealand Autry from Melbourne, Florida Livia from Houston, Texas Olivia and Charlotte from Silver Spring, Maryland Lulu from Brooklyn, New York Connor and Ethan from Mississauga, Ontario Lola from Omaha, Nebraska Cece from Granite Bay, California Peyton from Atlanta Everly from Port Washington, New York Nico and Diego from Chicago Lila from Toronto Madeline from Charlotte, North Carolina Victor and Margaret from Chicago Santiago from Minneapolis Leon and Ray from Columbus, Ohio Benjamin from Bolingbrook, Illinois Jackson and Jorday from Miami, Florida Jack and Emmy from Miami, Florida Penelope from Los Gatos, California Valentine from Laos Caroline from Evanston, Illinois Carson and Colton from South Jordan, Utah Maya from Bartlett, Illinois and Josiah from from Boston, Massachusetts. We'll be back next week with another episode of Brains on.

[Jade]

Thanks for listening.