Langford's basilisk

English Alternative forms en Langford basilisk Etymology After an object in David Langford's short story BLIT (short story) BLIT (1988).en David Langford BLIT Interzone 1988 September-October 25 http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/blit.htm Noun en science fiction An image which causes insanity or death upon viewing. en cognitohazard < basilisk<id:infohazard or cognitohazard> < hazard#Noun danger#Noun en Roko's basilisk en w:Charles Stross rec.arts.sf.composition What to throw in? February 27, 2002 https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.arts.sf.composition/dolkXNB44so/cxLMCP2wA_EJ slrna7qjct.sdj.charlie@raq981.uk2net.com.antipope.org Dead easy: the ones who watched it all died. (Invoke Langford's Basilisk if you need a real reason.) en RecArtsSfPolicyWonk rec.arts.tv What Did You Watch? 2013-12-29 (Saturday) December 29, 2013 https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rec.arts.tv/bcLZCSkeV1M/jU1BRqmLTFEJ w3nrp8vuk7cz.m05n26piatio$.dlg@40tude.net The technical term is "Langford basilisk". I expect the real deal would induce nothing more permanent than an inconveniently-timed reboot, if it can even exist. See also en Lot's wife Medusa References Anagrams en aabdfgiikllnorsss Langford basilisks en eponyms