The Button that Destroyed the World

Many years ago, or perhaps many years in the future, or perhaps today, or perhaps in some alternative universe, a man built a button. A single button no bigger than a penny. It was black.

He went on the news and said "I've built a button that, when pressed, will destroy the world!"

He announced that he would push the button unless he was given a billion dollars. But then, he was immediately shot and the button was stolen by the government of a large country, which proceeded to threaten its enemies with the button.

Soon, the button became the most sought-after weapon on the planet, and a war was declared. Everyone wanted the power that came with being the possessor of the button.

And so, the war waged on and the button passed from one nation to another.

Eventually, every single person on the planet was dead. The button was never pushed. In fact, the button itself didn't even work. It didn't do anything. It didn't need to.

And that's how this planet in this strange alternate universe got destroyed.

Pushing the button is never necessary, which is why we buy tomato juice.