Have you ever suspected your perfectly good gadget has a secret self-destruct timer, one that’s conveniently set to go off the moment its warranty expires? You're not just being paranoid. This ...

I was thinking about automated self-destruct sequences, how they are used in TV and film, and the human psychology behind them. The self-destruct is usually invoked by <I>our hero/ine</I> in the 11th ...