Why Do We See ‘Mirages’ in the Desert?

Mirages look like water in the desert, but they're not real. When it’s super hot, the ground gets really warm, and the air near the ground becomes lighter and less dense. This makes light bend, or refract, which tricks our eyes into seeing a reflection that looks like a lake or puddle. It’s like when you look at a straw in a glass of water and it seems bent, it's the same idea!