[geek guy]

Was wondering if anyone can answer why video cards / processors in general glitch when they get hot? I know that strange things happen (i.e. artifacts) when they get hot, but why?

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Like most other things a video card has a specified operating range. If it gets too hot, it'll start to cook itself. Once it cooks itself the damage is already done and the card dies.

[Neil Jones]

Like most other things a video card has a specified operating range. If it gets too hot, it'll start to cook itself. Once it cooks itself the damage is already done and the card dies.

[123Runner]

To add to what Neil says...

All electronics are made up of components. The components have a operating temperature range.
When you push the range to the outer limit, the components start to fail.
Once they fail, then they do not operate as specified and you will have "glitches" or a totally useless CPU, board, PSU, etc.
Those type of failures are generally hard to troubleshoot.