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.

Each day as we look in the mirror, we think that we know ourselves. We are used to the image that we see before us, but the mirror can show us much more than we ever hoped to see. Sometimes it only shows basic emotions, while at other times it can highlight the deepest crevices of our soul. If you wish, in the reflection of the mirror you can see your deepest thoughts, masks that you wear every day, your desires, and of course the people that you think about. But are you brave enough to look deep within your soul? Will you dive headlong or shy away from your true image? Those that will muster up the courage necessary will realize it was well worth the effort. (Photo by Devin Mitchell)

Modern art is truly fascinating. Not in a way that it produces some novel things that will fascinate future generations for decades and even centuries to come. No, that is very far from the truth. On the contrary, modern art is essentially anything (yes, any little thing) that is a bit unusual and was created by a famous person. Let’s take the creation of Antoine Bridier-Nahmias for example. His brainchild is a set of pictures of petri dishes that were contaminated by various cultures of fungi. If this is art, I missed my chance of becoming famous when I accidentally left a piece of bread in a bag in a cupboard for about six months, and didn’t take a picture of the rather shocking results that awaited me when I finally discovered it. (Photo by Antoine Bridier-Nahmias)

An artist has created series of wacky images turning everyday items into hilarious and all but impossible to use objects. Giuseppe Colarusso, 49, fashioned the unique work to make people question the functionality of the likes of cutlery, garden tools and office equipment. The set of playful pictures, entitled “Improbabilita”, makes some items impossible to use, others improbable and some given a completely new function altogether. From a dice with no spots, to a ping pong paddle with a hole in it, the items have all been given a quirky twist. Photo: Cuttlery with rope handles. (Photo by Giuseppe Colarusso/Caters News)

Gers, traditional Mongolian tents, are seen on a hill in an area known as a ger district in Ulan Bator June 26, 2013. Approximately 60 percent of the population of Ulan Bator live in settlements known as ger districts and in many cases residents have limited access to basic services such as water and sanitation. According to a 2010 National Population Center census, every year between thirty and forty thousand people migrate from the countryside to the capital Ulan Bator. Ger districts in the city have been expanding rapidly in recent years. Mongolia is the world's least densely populated country, with 2.8 million people spread across an area around three times the size of France. (Photo by Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Meet Barbie Thomas the incredible armless female body builder who is inspiring America. The 37-year-old lost both her arms during a horrific electrical accident as a toddler – but that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her bodybuilding dream.Barbie says she can do anything an average person can do – except she uses her feet. That includes brushing her teeth, making dinner, taking milk out of the fridge, texting, shopping, putting on makeup and even driving. Photo: Barbie Thomas cooks up meals with her feet. (Photo by Incredible Features/Barcroft Media)

A festival goer uses a hula hoop, as revelers gather ahead of this weekends Glastonbury Festival of Music and Performing Arts on Worthy Farm in Somerset, southwest England, on June 25, 2014. US metal giants Metallica will play this year's coveted Saturday night headline spot at Britain's Glastonbury festival, organisers announced Thursday. It will be the “Master of Puppets” four-piece's first appearance at the legendary festival, held in south west England, following on from The Rolling Stones' Worthy Farm debut last year. (Photo by Leon Neal/AFP Photo)

“Richard Wilson (born May 24, 1953) is a sculptor, installation artist and musician. Wilson's work is characterised by architectural concerns with volume, illusionary spaces and auditory perception”. – Wikipedia

Photo: An installation by the artist Richard Wilson, entitled “Turning the Place Over”, is built into the condemned Cross Keys House in Moorfields as part of the Capital of Culture for 2008, on June 25, 2007 in Liverpool, England. The piece consists of an 8 metre ovoid cut from the building's facade that oscillates in three dimensions. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)