The Weirdest GIFs in the National Archives' New Public Collection

WASHINGTON, DC — Those moving images you see all over the Internet have become a fixture of our modern connected society, and now the National Archives are getting in on the fun, releasing a huge volume of graphic images -- also known as GIFs -- that can easily be shared with anyone online.

The National Archives have posted 156 GIFs as of Oct. 11 on the popular Giphy website depicting everything from Bugs Bunny dancing to John F. Kennedy giving a speech.

Here are some of the weirdest images you'll find, and the stories behind them:

via GIPHY

What it shows: A cartoon bug of sorts rubbing its hands together villain-style.

What it's from: A short World War II-era film called Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike, a U.S. Army public service announcement warning soldiers to protect themselves from mosquitoes that may be carrying malaria. In this particular scene, Malaria Mike has dipped his nose into a bottle marked "Malaria" and is ready to infect Private Snafu with the deadly disease.

via GIPHY

What it shows: A man who appears to be dressed up like Manhattan's Chrysler Building.

What it's from: The 1931 Beaux-Arts Ball in New York, where architects dressed up as the buildings they designed. This particular clip shows architect William Van Allen, who is indeed dressed as the Chrysler Building, which he designed.

via GIPHY

What it shows: A dancing girl dressed in '70s-era clothing.

What it's from: A 1970 film from the U.S. Department of Defense that "describes proper selection of clothes, table manners, ordering in a restaurant, introductions, dating etiquette, and etiquette at a formal reception."

via GIPHY

What it shows: A UFO "flying" across a meadow.

What it's from: Early 1960s footage of the Avrocar test program. The Avrocar was a top-secret aircraft developed as part of a U.S. military project in the early years of the Cold War. The Air Force and Army eventually abandoned the project.

via GIPHY

What it shows: An ape leaping over an obstacle while ice skating.

What it's from: A 1960s newsreel. Here's how the original release sheet describes the footage: "THIS CHIMP IS A GAY BLADE: Usually, summer is the whacky season, but this winter things aren't on an even keel in Germany. They've taught a Chimp to Skate and he's a real swinger! After some tricks "Archibald" leads a Conga that proves he's a real gay blade with quite a line figure-8-atively."

Image via National Archives