Brains On! Science podcast for kids · Brains On Universe

Hoax Hunters: Can a lake turn animals to stone?

January 13, 2026·32 min·3 clips

Lake Natron doesn't turn live animals to stone instantly—it calcifies dead ones over weeks or months.

This episode of Brains On! investigates the claim that Lake Natron in Tanzania can turn living animals to stone. Host Molly Bloom is joined by Jade, a young listener from Missouri who submitted the question, and the "Hoax Hunters" team, Mark and Sanden. The hosts describe Lake Natron as a large, real lake in Eastern Africa near an active volcano, with water that sometimes appears a brilliant red. They reference social media posts and videos that claim the lake can instantly "mummify" or "petrify" animals, often showing images of calcified birds and bats. To investigate, the Hoax Hunters consult Ndivitis Siango, a conservationist with African People and Wildlife who works at the lake. Siango explains the lake's water is very hot, alkaline, and rich in minerals like natron, similar to substances used in ancient Egyptian mummification. The process of calcification only happens to animals after they have died, over a period of weeks, months, or years, not instantly while alive. The episode reveals that the widespread myth of instant petrification likely stems from a 2013 photography book by Nick Brandt, who staged posed pictures of calcified animals to look alive. A key insight is that Lake Natron is actually a thriving ecosystem, home to animals adapted to its harsh conditions. Nearly 75% of the world's lesser flamingos breed there, and their pink color comes from eating the same red microbes that tint the lake. The episode also describes "phantom rain," where precipitation evaporates before hitting the ground due to extreme heat. Conservation challenges are noted, including climate change increasing evaporation and human activity affecting the lake's chemical balance. The investigative lesson emphasizes the importance of checking sources, especially for sensational online images, and reading about how photos were created. The tone is educational and playful, mixing factual explanations with humorous skits from the singing Hoax Hunters cleaning crew. The style is conversational and interactive, featuring listener questions and a mystery sound game. Young science enthusiasts and curious minds who enjoy myth-busting and nature facts would love this episode. Listeners seeking a purely dramatic or fictional monster story might find it less engaging, as it methodically debunks the supernatural claim with real-world science.

As heard by us

A spooky claim gets a careful, kid-friendly debunking that stays weird for the right reasons.

Brains On treats the Lake Natron rumor as a clear, kid-friendly bit of myth-busting. The episode lays out that sodium carbonate in the water can calcify or mummify dead animals, and it keeps the crucial distinction in view: the change happens after death, not while an animal is…

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