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.

The world's longest moustache (belonging to one Ram Singh Chauhan of Rajasthan, India) measures a staggering 11.5 feet, or nearly 4 metres.

Отава Ё – Яблочко (Otava Yo – Yablochko; Russian: Яблочко, “Little Apple”). Yablochko is a Russian folk song of chastushka style and dance, traditionally presented as sailors' dance. The choreographed version of the dance first appeared in the 1926 Reinhold Glière ballet The Red Poppy and from there is known in the West as the Russian Sailors Dance.

In this November 21, 2015 photo, Camila Lopez Rivas, 14, poses for portraits on a beach in Havana, Cuba, as an assistant lifts the train of her dress to make it look like its flying in the wind. Camila lives in Miami, the daughter of a truck driver who left Cuba when she was a baby. She doesn't remember the island, but wanted to return for the photographs and videos that Latin American girls typically take for their 15th birthdays. (Photo by Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo)

An old American car is seen in Havana as a rainbow appears in the sky, on February 3, 2022. The Cuban government on Thursday “emphatically and forcefully” demanded the end of the U.S. embargo on the island, which was reinforced “to unsuspected limits” amid the covid-19 pandemic, as it celebrates its 60th anniversary. (Photo by Yamil Lage/AFP Photo)

On Set with David Bowie and Tilda Swinton. A photo taken by Director Floria Sigismondi on set of The Stars (Are Out Tonight), featuring Tilda Swinton.

These stunning sand sculptures are being used to encourage youngsters to explore their surroundings and play in the dirt. (Photo by OMO Lowe)

The kinetic sculptures created by Anthony Howe are nothing short of a miracle. You simply cannot wrap your mind around the fact that these creations are real. The magic comes from the fact that all the creations of Anthony Howe were first digitally modeled and only then wrought from metal. The resulting pieces of art are mystifying, entrancing, and sometimes even terrifying. For example, one of the earlier creations of Howe is an installation called “About Face”. It is a human face, pieces of which move from side to side, even if there is just a gentle breeze. However, most of his creations are mesmerizing, capturing your mind, as you marvel at their intricacy.