History Main / WalkingTechbane

* Physicist Wolfgang Pauli, one of the fathers of modern chemistry, frequently saw experiments explode or fail whenever he came near them. On one occasion, an experiment in a university failed, and the scientists figured it couldn't be Pauli, he was nowhere around, he was on his way to Zurich. Except, as it turned out, he ''was'' in town... waiting for a train connection. Website/TheOtherWiki [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauli_effect elaborates]]. Someone humorously dubbed it the "Second Pauli Exclusion Principle": Wolfgang Pauli and a functioning device can't occupy the same room.

* Creator/EddieIzzard describes the results thus: "[[FailedASpotCheck I've wiped the file?]] ...I've wiped all the files? ....[[EpicFail I've wiped the]] ''[[EpicFail Internet]]''? Aww, no! [[SerialEscalation I don't even have a modem!]]"

* This is a big problem for the female lead, Da Da, at the outset of the kdrama ''Absolute Boyfriend (절대 그이)''--she tends to short-circuit any device she tries to use, to the point that even her fridge is used only for storing old junk and she has to wear gloves to use her smart phone. Fortunately, everything changes when a {{ridiculously human robot|s}} shipped to her by mistake falls in love with her.

* {{Exploited|Trope}} in ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex''. [[ExtravertedNerd Fitzy Feakins]] constantly projects a field that temporarily shutdowns any [[{{Nanomachines}} Nanite]] around him. This makes him a top priority target of [[LawEnforcementInc Providence]] as his ability would help them [[spoiler:capture the eponymous character.]]

* In the LightNovel series ''Literature/{{Campione}}'' this is one of the Authorities of Salvatore Doni, though a rather unusual voluntary version. For about 12 hours he can shut down modern technology over quite a large area (such as most of the island of Sardinia). This didn't make it to the anime adaptation.

* ''Comicbook/XMen'':

--->'''Jason:''' Yee-ha! It accepted my order! I've got ''Franchise/StarWars'' tickets! ''(praying pose)'' ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' heaven, this angel is ready for entry. ''(pondering pose)'' I can't believe how long I had to wait online, though. The movie theater's website must've really been swamped.\\

* In the ''Literature/AlcatrazSeries'' all of the Free Lands technology can do this to the more mundane technology Hushlanders (we) use. Special notice goes to the titular character who has the [[BlessedwithSuck ability]] to break things, and can do this to anything and possibly anyone.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** And it has returned yet again where [[spoiler: a group of Dalek {{Expies}} have deemed Art a threat, as they are [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=711 "of technology."]] Though he claims to have lost it after the [=OzBasic=] incident.]]

* WesternAnimation/MaxSteel2013 The main character Max does this to technology that he touches after he got his powers. it got to the point that he was trying to drive a car with car floor mats.

* According to Creator/RogerMoore, the late Creator/DesmondLlewelyn ([[{{Film/JamesBond}} Q]] from ''Film/FromRussiaWithLove'' through ''Film/TheWorldIsNotEnough'') was ironically one of these and couldn't get a ''[[{{EpicFail}} pocket calculator]]'' to work if his life depended on it.

* In the LightNovel series ''LightNovel/{{Campione}}'' this is one of the Authorities of Salvatore Doni, though a rather unusual voluntary version. For about 12 hours he can shut down modern technology over quite a large area (such as most of the island of Sardinia). This didn't make it to the anime adaptation.

* Fino from ''LightNovel/ICouldntBecomeAHeroSoIReluctantlyDecidedToGetAJob'' finds employment in an appliance store, where she is constantly frying devices. This is because her world uses {{Magitek}} instead of technology and as the Demon Lord's daughter, she's capable of blowing every fuse in an entire house. Fortunately, she learns to down her wattage after a few episodes.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', single wizards can't cause this, but the elaborate charms, wards, and protections in Hogwarts and most wizard dwellings that uphold TheMasquerade and protect against dark wizards do, which also conveniently [[AWizardDidIt explains]] why Harry never buys cell phones or walkie-talkies for his pals the few dozen times they would otherwise come in handy.

* While originally only suffering from MissingReflection, the Lasombra of [[TabletopGame/{{VampireTheMasqueradeFifthEdition}} V5]] have a variation of this trope. While they can use technology just fine, their reflection and recording (live or otherwise) is distorted, and just making a phone call requires them to pass a skill check. Oh, and despite these issues, [[Main/{{CursedWithAwesome}} their bane]] [[Main/{{SubvertedTrope}} won't reliably obscure their identity]], and anyone who knows what to look for (like the [[Main/{{HunterOfMonsters}} Second Inquisition]]) will recognize the effect on sight.

** And it has returned yet again where [[spoiler: a group of Dalek {{Expies}} have deemed Art a threat, as they are [[http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=711 "of technology."]]]]

* Erin from [[http://www.drunkduck.com/Dragon_City Dragon City]] is terrible with computers since she's always causing them to crash and needs help from her family to do basically anything. This is a contrast to her family since her parents and brother are VERY computer savvy to the point her dad is a computer technician for a power plant and her mom used to be one.

* WesternAnimation/MaxSteel (2013) The main character Max does this to technology that he touches after he got his powers. it got to the point that he was trying to drive a car with car floor mats. (ps This thing is linking to wrong max steel, it is linking to the 2000s one not 2013 cartoon, hopefully someone will get it to work correct because there is a page on here for the 2013 one.)

* [[Wiki/SCPFoundation SCP]]-[[https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-2184 2184]] is a mammoth that causes the destruction of all objects created with post-Stone Age technology. It can even cause a fire to go out if it was lit with a match, and ignores the existence of a pit dug with shovels or explosives.

* WesternAnimation/MaxSteel (2013) The main character Max does this to technology that he touches after he got his powers. it got to the point that he was trying to drive a car with car floor mats.

* WesternAnimation/MaxSteel(2013) The main character Max does this to technology that he touches after he got his powers. it got to the point that he was trying to drive a car with car floor mats.