Curiosity is a powerful force that drives humans to explore the world around us. It’s the reason why we ask questions and venture into the unknown. And sometimes, it leads us to break or open things just to see what’s inside, too.

In this list, Bored Panda gathered some of the most surprising and intriguing cross-sections that we could find. From the inside of a bowling ball to the inner workings of a cactus, these pictures are sure to stir up your interest. We’ve even “cut up” a mechanical calculator to show its complex mechanisms!

So sit back, relax, and continue scrolling to enjoy this fascinating journey through the unexpected contents of everyday objects.

#1 My Dog Finally Finished Her Favorite Toy Tonight, Only To Find There Was A Smaller, Even More Squeaky Toy Inside

Image credits: fluorescent_noir

#2 Cross-Section Of Several Different Cables

Image credits: CHooTZ

The process of taking something apart to understand how it works is called reverse engineering, and there are many reasons why someone (or a company) might do it.

You can reverse engineer consumer products, software, mechanical parts, pieces of technology, or even architectural structures.

When companies employ this practice, engineers usually do it without the original blueprints. While there are many ways to reverse engineer a product, a popular method is to take apart a smaller part of a product and analyze it until you get a thorough understanding of it.

#3 Picked Up An Old Clam Beside A Lake In South Australia And Found A Small Colony Of Plants Inside, Living Off Of The Nutrients

Image credits: gNomad88

#4 The Squeaker From Inside Her Dog Toy Has Declared Her The Winner

Image credits: MissShananigansbong

#5 The Inside Of This Guitar Looks Like A Really Fancy Apartment

Image credits: VarneyKing

You can deconstruct (and reconstruct) things in many different areas. Jazz musicians can take apart a song and put the ideas together in a new improvisation of the original. Writers might look at a well-known story and retell it in a new, fresh way.

The musical West Side Story, for example, was based on the storyline from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and James Joyce’s Ulysses is a modern-day retelling of The Odyssey by Homer.

#6 My Firewood Had A Pine Cone Inside The Tree

Image credits: nzscion

#7 The Wine I Ordered Online Came With A Tiny Set Of Dice Packaged Inside A Hollow Cork

Image credits: Calliope719

#8 The Inside Of A Cactus

Image credits: Zavalac03

#9 Had To Cut A Sunflower In Half Today At Work, Thought It Might Be Appreciated Here

Image credits: Charissh

In business, updating older products for current use is also one of the main reasons why people turn to reverse engineering. It could include rebuilding:

An old or outdated product;
An expensive product using cheaper or more readily available materials;
A product that uses mechanical parts that no longer exist;
Another company’s product to learn about it;
Reverse engineering helps engineers understand the product’s function, which they can use to create an effective updated version that still meets user requirements.

#10 A Cross-Section Of A Professional Painter’s Palette (6 Months Deep)

Image credits: wWOVOWw

#11 Inside Of A Mechanical Calculator

Image credits: reddit.com

#12 The Tigers On These Socks Look Like House Cats When Turned Inside Out

Image credits: The_RockObama

#13 The Inside Of A Pine Cone

Image credits: SteveHarveysTalkingMustache

Reverse engineering can also help repair products that are already on the market. This process can be especially helpful if nobody is sure what’s causing the issue. Engineers may also take these products apart to see if there are any ways to fix them or improve functionality with new technology or smarter design. For example, a company may learn that newly available technology can help improve glitching issues within a software application. Through the reverse engineering process, they may also learn that there’s a more efficient way to create the product.

#14 My Sister Found This Tiny Egg Inside Her Hard-Boiled Egg

Image credits: galafem

#15 The Inside Of An HDMI Cable

Image credits: biwook

#16 The Inside Of My Inflatable Air Mattress

Image credits: -who_knows-

#17 Cross-Section Of Our Painter’s 1-Year-Old Stir Stick

Image credits: infernal2ss

As writer Eric Braun pointed out, deconstruction also plays a part in teaching something to someone else. In order to pass down the knowledge, you need to understand its components and how they fit together. This comes from focused learning on each aspect of the topic. If a student does not understand something and has a question, the teacher will not be able to convey the topic if they cannot answer it.

#18 This Is A Tree Burning From The Inside In Oregon, USA. Don’t Let The Rain Fool You

Image credits: Pyrovixen

#19 Elephant’s Foot

Image credits: sverdrupian

#20 The Inside Of My Red Onion Looks Like A Lotus Flower

Image credits: Ban_Pending

#21 Cut In Half Cables Used In The Golden Gate Bridge

Image credits: Michael_Scofield91

As you can see, you can learn a great deal by taking things apart. However, if you decide to do it, don’t forget to take pics and share them with the rest of us!

For more similar “lessons”, fire up Bored Panda’s earlier publications 30 Photos Of Objects Cut In Half That Reveal The Unseen Side Of Things and 30 Times People Broke Or Opened Things And Were Surprised By What They Found Inside.