A bystander walks past a fresco by street artist Seth depicting a girl with a Ukrainian flag walking on tanks in Paris on March 01, 2022. (Photo by Joel Saget/AFP 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.

Internet is filled to the brim with cat pictures and cat videos. It seems that cats became the symbol of the internet. For some unknown reason, cat owners simply love taking pictures of their beloved kitty-cats and posting them on the internet for all to see. Everyone’s cat is special; however, some are more special than others. Take Garfi for example. As soon as you catch his menacing stare, you immediately realize the reason why this kitty became popular. The look he gives you would send shivers down anybody’s spine. Yeah, the look Garfi has is somewhat special, but nothing will compare to the “facial expression” of Tard – the Grumpy Cat! A look that screams – “All is lost! Life has no meaning…”. (Photo by Hulya Ozkok)

Five year-old Fatima plays as women weave a carpet in a home workshop in Peshawar, Pakistan, January 13, 2022. (Photo by Fayaz Aziz/Reuters)

Kayla Amara sprays down their home as the Hughes Fire burns in Castaic, California, U.S. January 22, 2025. (Photo by Joel Angel Juarez/Reuters)

Pauline Torres carries belongings from her flooded Merced, Calif., home on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. (Photo by Noah Berger/AP Photo)

Jenifer Lopez, 12, watches television at her home in Havana January 9, 2015. (Photo by Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters)

Russian soldiers write home while serving on the Eastern Front during World War I, circa 1915. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)