Psychic powers, also known asExtra-Sensory Perceptions (ESP), (TV:Planet of the Spiders)psi powers, orpsi abilities, (PROSE:SLEEPY) were made possible by the conscious or unconscious manipulation ofpsychic energy.

History[[edit] |[edit source]]

Originally related tomagic and still understood as such in many cultures, psychic abilities survived theTime Lords' imposition of the laws of physics on theuniverse by being sufficiently grounded in science. (PROSE:So Vile a Sin)

TheTenth Doctor described psychic abilities as simply, "the ability to see strands of future time." (PROSE:The Weeping)

In the1890s, DrErnst conducted experiments on natural psychic abilities in humans. Among his test subjects were three women who each had small mental powers on their own, but possessed powerful psychic abilities together. This group, whichJenny Flint dubbed the "Danger Thinkers" went on a rampage through London with their newfound abilities before being stopped by thePaternoster Gang. (PROSE:The Insidious Ideas of the Danger Thinkers)

TheSoviet Union began research into psychic powers beforeWorld War II in the hope of creating a psychic bomb designed to provoke extreme emotions in people. This ambition had been achieved by1965. TheUnited States of America also researched psychic powers in the1960s. (AUDIO:Peshka)

By the2090s, psychicassassins existed.Benedict Summerfield II was one of these assassins. (PROSE:Dead Romance)

TheSecond Rani utilised the psychic power of the 900 prisoners ofTeccaurora Penitentiary to escape toMiasimia Goria. (AUDIO:Planet of the Rani)

Causes of psychic ability[[edit] |[edit source]]

Natural racial abilities[[edit] |[edit source]]

Some species were innately psychically active - in some cases it was very unusual for an individual of a given species not to manifest psi-powers. These powers could be of any type - for instance, theArcateenians appeared to be innatelytelepathic. (TV:Greeks Bearing Gifts)

AKrynoid andHarrison Chase developed a psychic attachment, with Harrison being indoctrinated with the others thoughts. (TV:The Seeds of Doom)

Innate psychic ability inhumans was rare, but not unknown: according to theThird Doctor, they were just dormant in most members ofHomo sapiens. (TV:Planet of the Spiders) Most humans had at least some latent psychic potential. Significant individuals (such asWilliam Shakespeare), showed enough latent psychic ability to seepsychic paper as blank. (TV:The Shakespeare Code) This ability may have been due to an extra synaptic engram in the brain, which was seen in individuals with mildtelepathic abilities such asTim Latimer. (TV:The Family of Blood)Torchwood 1 personnel were given basic psychic training, also giving them this ability. (TV:Army of Ghosts)

Mutation due to external factors[[edit] |[edit source]]

In species that were not normally psi-active, powers could nevertheless still appear given the right stimuli.Humans living near atime rift developed psychic abilities, (TV:The Unquiet Dead,The Fires of Pompeii) which might vanish if the rift were sealed. (TV:The Fires of Pompeii)

Due to living on the lip of a wormhole for centuries, human colonists onAgelaos developed psychic abilities. (PROSE:The Weeping)

Types of psychic ability[[edit] |[edit source]]

Sensory abilities[[edit] |[edit source]]

There are several psychic abilities that relate to sensory manipulation. One isTelepathy. The Doctor had a talent for using this ability during histenth (TV:The Girl in the Fireplace) andeleventh incarnations. (TV:The Lodger) There were alsoClairvoyance (also known as Extra-Sensory Perception), (TV:The Unquiet Dead)Precognition (TV:Planet of the Dead) andPsychometry. (TV:The Rings of Akhaten)

There is also Time-sensitivity, which is the ability to sense disruptions in time and/or reality, or to detect that a given object or person was displaced in time. (TV:The Shakespeare Code,PROSE:Prisoner of the Daleks)

Empathy is also considered a psychic ability, both for humans (TV:Hide) and theOod. (TV:The Impossible Planet)

Manipulative abilities[[edit] |[edit source]]

There are a few known manipulative psychic abilities. These areTelekinesis, (TV:Last of the Time Lords,The Rings of Akhaten)Mind control (TV:The Two Doctors) andReality warping. (AUDIO:The Nightmare Fair,COMIC:Doctor Who and the Iron Legion)

Artificial psychic phenomena[[edit] |[edit source]]

Psychic energy was normally only produced by living minds, which made it (and the powers utilising it) difficult to study or replicate using conventional technological means.

However, a number of devices were constructed to facilitate or mimic natural psychic powers.TARDISes generated apsychic field and incorporatedtelepathic circuits to facilitate both short- and long-range communications. (TV:Frontier in Space) TheIRIS Machine artificially boosted thetelepathic potential of human test subjects. (TV:Planet of the Spiders) TheArcateenians usedtelepathy pendants for long-range communication. (TV:Greeks Bearing Gifts) TheCoronet of Rassilon gave the wearer the power ofmind control, even over multiple subjects simultaneously. (TV:The Five Doctors)

In their later incarnations, the Doctor routinely carriedpsychic paper to save time in establishing his credentials. (TV:The End of the World,The Long Game et al.) This ploy was also used byCaptain Jack Harkness. (TV:The Empty Child)Psychic credit cards were used by the Doctor to hold money. (PROSE:Only Human)