Lucy Blacker from Australia takes to the water at the 40 Foot for a Christmas Day Swim in Ireland on December 25, 2022. (Photo by Alan Betson/The Irish Times)

Dancers perform during a rehearsal for the “2023 Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes” at St. Paul the Apostle Church on Thursday, October 19, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Andres Kudacki/AP Photo)

A vendor works on a Christmas star lantern, locally known as parol, at a street market in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines on November 29, 2023. (Photo by Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)

English television personality Georgia Harrison is seen attending House of CB Christmas Party at Old Sessions House on November 29, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ricky Vigil M/Justin E Palmer/GC Images)

Full-length portrait of happy girls wears high heel shoes dancing at party under confetti. Indoor photo of funny ladies chilling at home during christmas celebration and drinking champagne. (Photo by Look Studio/Shutterstock)

A diver dressed in a Santa Claus costume swims with a penguin at Sunshine Aquarium during preparations for the upcoming Christmas special event in Tokyo on December 1, 2025. (Photo by Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via 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.

A man hugs his monitor lizard who is wearing a Christmas hat on December 25, 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand. Monitor lizard enthusiasts gather on Christmas Day for a garden party at the Somtum Khun Daeng restaurant and cafe to share their appreciation for their monitor lizards. The event for owners of this controversial Thai pet included important facts and information about monitor lizard care as well as prizes for those who brought their lizard with them. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)