Russian riot policemen beat young PREGNANT female anti-Putin activist during a protest rally against the Presidential inauguration of Vladimir Putin on May 6, 2012 in Moscow, Russia.

Hungarian pilot and European champion Zoltan Veres flies under the oldest Hungarian bridge, the “Lanchid” (Chain Bridge) with his “MXS” type plane on May 1, 2014 during a Red Bull flying and car show around the Danube River of Budapest downtown. (Photo by Attila Kisbenedek/AFP Photo)

This artist image released from Japan's airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) on April 17, 2015 shows ANA's Boeing 787-9 aircraft into the colors of R2-D2 robot of Star Wars. Japanese air carrier ANA will place the special colored jetliner in service in this autumn. (Photo by AFP Photo/All Nippon Airways)

Clowns sit in the pews and hold hands across the aisle of the All Saints Church during the Grimaldi clown service in Dalston, north London, February 7, 2016. The Clowns International 70th annual service brings together professional clowns from Britain and Europe in a service of remembrance to the famous British clown Joseph Grimaldi, who died in 1837. (Photo by Peter Nicholls/Reuters)

Charlotte FC goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina deflects a shot by Inter Miami forward Leonardo Campana during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Wednesday, October 18, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo)

Bukayo Saka of England scores their first goal before it is disallowed during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between England and Slovenia at Cologne Stadium on June 25, 2024 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo by Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

Zheng Qinwen of China returns a shot to Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic in a women's singles semi-final match, of the China Open tennis tournament, at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Saturday, October 5, 2024. (Photo by Achmad Ibrahim/AP Photo)

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.