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)

A protester gestures as he holds a dog before a burning barricade during protests in Harare, Zimbabwe on January 15, 2019. (Photo by Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters)

Fire retardant is dropped on the Fairview Fire burning near Hemet, California, U.S., September 6, 2022. (Photo by David Swanson/Reuters)

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.

Bill Moreau watches as the Black Forest fire burns near his house near Black Forest Road Tuesday afternoon, June 11, 2013, near Colorado Springs, Colo. The Black Forest Fire was one of at least three significant wildfires burning in Colorado amid gusty winds and record-breaking hot, dry weather. (Photo by Christian Murdock/AP Photo/The Colorado Springs Gazette)

A hillside erupts in flame as a raging wildfire fire burns in Placerita Canyon in Santa Clarita, Calif., Monday, July 25, 2016. A raging wildfire that forced thousands from their homes on the edge of Los Angeles continued to burn out of control Monday as frustrated fire officials said residents reluctant to heed evacuation orders made conditions more dangerous and destructive for their neighbors. (Photo by Nick Ut/AP Photo)

A police officer walks along a street of the burning village of Smolenka near Chita on Monday, April 13, 2015. Russian authorities say out-of-control agricultural fires have killed at least 15 people, injured hundreds more and destroyed or damaged more than 1,000 homes in Siberia. The fires were started by farmers burning the grass in their fields, but spread quickly because of strong winds. (Photo by Evgeny Yepanchintsev/AP Photo)

Satirical sculptures burn during the traditional Fallas festival in Valencia, Spain, on March 19, 2014. Every year the city celebrates the ancient “Las Fallas” fiesta, a noisy week that is full of fireworks and processions in honor of Saint Joseph that ends on midnight of March 19, burning large satiric figures displayed around the streets of the city. (Photo by Alberto Saiz/Associated Press)