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We decided to dissect a television for the edification of PopSci readers. Then we decided to do it in a slightly unconventional way. Check out the photo gallery for a glimpse of what happens when you blow up a television.

[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]

We recently came upon a TV sitting out in a field. Filled with curiosity about what magic made it work, we exposed its insides, for Science. By blowing it up. <em>[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]</em>

Dynamite Dissection TV Front

We recently came upon a TV sitting out in a field. Filled with curiosity about what magic made it work, we exposed its insides, for Science. By blowing it up. [Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]
From the back, there is a circuit board, a flyback transformer and a whole lot of empty space that the cathode ray tube once occupied. How do televisions justify being so heavy when most of their volume is occupied by a partial vacuum? <em>[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]</em>

Dynamite Dissection TV Back

From the back, there is a circuit board, a flyback transformer and a whole lot of empty space that the cathode ray tube once occupied. How do televisions justify being so heavy when most of their volume is occupied by a partial vacuum? [Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]
This is what was left of the Steering Coil, the part of the CRT that aims the beam of electrons to draw the screen. <em>[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]</em>

Dynamite Dissection TV Steering Coil

This is what was left of the Steering Coil, the part of the CRT that aims the beam of electrons to draw the screen. [Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]
This is the back end of the Tuning Dials. This controls the tuning of the RF Receiver circuit part of the television, moving the window on the radio spectrum through which the television's radio receiver pulls in broadcasts. <em>[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]</em>

Dynamite Dissection TV Tuners

This is the back end of the Tuning Dials. This controls the tuning of the RF Receiver circuit part of the television, moving the window on the radio spectrum through which the television’s radio receiver pulls in broadcasts. [Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]
In the lower right of this picture is what remains of the Flyback Transformer. This is an essential part of generating the beam of electrons that is fired through the CRT to draw the screen. <em>[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]</em>

Dynamite Dissection TV Flyback Transformer

In the lower right of this picture is what remains of the Flyback Transformer. This is an essential part of generating the beam of electrons that is fired through the CRT to draw the screen. [Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]
This is where you would connect your antennas, if the TV hadn't just been blown to pieces. <em>[Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]</em>

Dynamite Dissection TV Antenna

This is where you would connect your antennas, if the TV hadn’t just been blown to pieces. [Note: No dynamite was used in this Dynamite Dissection. Do not attempt to do anything like this on your own.]