Obscure intentions of a dangerous mind

Forget terrorists, forget climate change, or anything else that has been keeping you awake at night, instead worry about who or what your smartphone might be talking to if you leave it on when you go to sleep - and no, that doesn't mean the NSA, it already knows all about you.

Although it might be a little far-fetched to imagine your phone is out to get you - at least the phone itself - it might not be beyond the realms of science fiction for a computer to have designs on your life.

Last week, Stephen Hawking, one of the world's leading theoretical scientists, cautioned that thinking machines that can match or surpass humans could pose a threat to our existence.