From the unconventional and awe-inspiring to the hilarious and heartwarming, here's a look at some of the most interesting photos, videos and stories that have our newsroom talking today. What's capturing your attention, filling your inbox and cluttering your Facebook/Twitter feed? Comment below with the stories you're talking about or tweet them to us using #InstantIndex and they could appear on World News.

Terrifying Pumpkin Zombie Scene Carved From Single Giant Gourd

Ray Villafane Studios

It's pumpkin carving time - and some people are going above and beyond the standard Jack-O-Lanterns. Master pumpkin carver Ray Villafane turned a giant, 1,872 pound gourd into an elaborate, and scary, zombie pumpkin scene. The display is part of an exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden's Haunted Pumpkin Garden. This video shows how the created the creepy work of art.

Inside a Candy Corn Factory - What Goes Into the Halloween Staple?

While Hurricane Sandy could put a real damper on trick or treating this Halloween, there should still be plenty of Candy Corn to go around. Yahoo! got inside one of the factories making those sweet treats, at a pace of nine billion pieces a year. There, they found out Candy Corn is made of three key ingredients, which basically come down to sugar, sugar and…more sugar.

Statue of Liberty Crown Re-Opens to Visitors

Getty Images

On the 126 th anniversary of its dedication, the crown of the Statue of Liberty reopens today to visitors. The iconic American landmark recently underwent a year-long, $30 million renovation to make the statue safer and more wheelchair accessible. However, visitors will have to wait until after Hurricane Sandy passes before getting a chance to head to the top of the statue.