Musician Jerome Gamble plays guitar to accompany the recorded music as it is played to the city below on September 01, 2020 in Bristol, England. Created by Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram and composer Dan Jones, “Sky Orchestra – A Moment in Time” was first performed at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta in 2003. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)

If we were to burn NH4Cr2O7 with HgSCN in the Dark Ages in Europe and show it to anyone, it is us who would be burning next on a fiery cross of Inquisition. And it’s no wonder, since this experiment produces a truly marvelous result. At first, as you ignite the mixture of NH4Cr2O7 and HgSCN, all you can see is that it is slowly burning with a reddish flame. After a while, however, a crater is formed in the middle of the burning pile, and then, suddenly, tentacle-like appendages start sprouting from the burning mixture. And you can almost hear the scream of the mad occultist – “Come forth, Kraken! Come forth!” But of course, this is simply a chemical reaction that is called the "Pharoah's Serpent". It was also often sold in firework stores until people realized that it was toxic.

“These incredible pictures capture the stunning moment waves roll on to a tropical beach. Photographers Nick Selway, 28, and pal CJ Kale, 35, position themselves in the magnificent Hawaiian water – and then wait for the waves to crash into their heads. Their only equipment are standard cameras – but a waterproof case means they do not need to sacrifice their cameras for their art”. (Photo by Nick Selway/CJ Kale)

In this Sunday, April 28, 2013 photograph, people watch as Indian Sailendra Nath Roy attempts to cross Teesta river suspended from a zip wire attached to his ponytail moments before his death in Siliguri, West Bengal state, India. Roy who was named a Guinness World Record holder in 2011 for travelling the farthest distance on a zip wire using hair died during the stunt Sunday when he suffered a heart attack. (Photo by AP Photo)

Attendants arrive at an inauguration ceremony of a Hello Kitty amusement park in Anji, Zhejiang province November 28, 2014. With an investment of $325 million, Hello Kitty Park will be China's first large scale amusement park scheduled to open to the public on New Year's day. According to state media, there are nearly 60 theme parks being built across China at the moment. (Photo by Carlos Barria/Reuters)

This lemur looks like he is channelling the spirit of Buddha – as he sits meditating. Sitting with his legs crossed, the lemur clasps his thumb and fore finger together with outstretched arms – just like the spiritual teacher. And amateur snapper Sebastien Degardin, 32, was on hand to capture the bizarre moment the animal searched for enlightenment on film. Sebastien, who moved from his native Belgium to Finchley, North London, said: “I was gobsmacked when I saw this lemur meditating”. (Photo by Sebastien Degardin/Caters News)

This is the remarkable moment a group of skydivers performed a world record breaking feat in honour of their friend who died while skydiving. Known as a “Bigway”, the daring jump involves 57 people holding hands in a predetermined design as they hurtle towards the ground, head first. After making the first shape, the group then break away before coming back together to form a second shape all in a single skydive. Captured using a GoPro camera by Alaskan skydiver, Ben Nelson, 36, the topsy-turvy footage shows the adrenalin junkies soaring through the air at around 160mph before banding together twice in mid-air, making the stunt a world first. (Photo by Ben Nelson/Caters News)