What Happens When You Smash the Essence of Dynamite With a Hammer?

Nitroglycerin, otherwise known as the explosive essence of dynamite, is so sensitive AND powerfully explosive that when hit with a hammer, it creates "a supersonic shockwave and a flash of light almost too fast to film, even with the latest specialist cameras". In the blink of an eye (literally) extreme detonation occurs. Shooting super slo-mo is absolutely necessary (600x slower, to be exact).

Watch below as BBC's Jem Stansfield visits the Defense Academy of the UK to test this dangerous experiment.