History Main / HumansArePsychicInTheFuture

** The Asari are the oldest spacefaring species that's still around, and they're all biotic. Someone (I think it might be Tali) [[DiscussedTrope idly wonders]] whether the other species will be the same way in a few thousand years.

* ''Akira'', both the [[strike: comic]] manga and the [[strike: cartoon]] anime, revolves around the [=ESP=]ers, including especially the title character.

* In James White's ''SectorGeneral'' series, humanity has telepathic potential... in its evolutionary history. Human development took some steps toward it, but never got all the way and the capacity is now athropied and useless. When some characters get contacted through it, the feeling is compared to having a wire brush taken to one's brain.

* In ''{{Firefly}}'', and, by extension, in the film ''Serenity'', River Tam turns out to have been given psychic powers.

In many science fiction stories, human beings, although only a minority thereof, are shown as having [[strike:Magic]] PsychicPowers in the future. There is frequently no explanation of where these abilities could have come from between the audience's time and the setting of the show, nor, if these abilities were supposed to always have been present, why they only became accepted common knowledge, as opposed to dismissed as pseudo-science, in the future.

In many science fiction stories, human beings, although only a minority thereof, are shown as having PsychicPowers in the future. There is frequently no explanation of where these abilities could have come from between the audience's time and the setting of the show, nor, if these abilities were supposed to always have been present, why they only became accepted common knowledge, as opposed to dismissed as pseudo-science, in the future.

* ScienceMarchesOn: There is no definitive proof that PsychicPowers ''don't'' exist, or that they ''can't'' exist. Only time will tell.
** YourMileageMayVary, though: whether you agree with this position really depends on what you think constitutes "proof." The human brain simply has no faculties to either project or receive any kind of information, it's no antenna. Neither has any self-proclaimed psychic ever, at all, managed to uphold his claims under scientific scrutiny. That being said, if we ever implant radios into out brains it can probably count as a kind of telepathy, I suppose.
** This is also a logical fallacy. The burden of proof is on those making the claim; thus, in light of the above, psychic powers cannot reasonably be assumed to exist. New evidence may, of course, change that, but I'm rather doubtful.

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: in many science fiction stories, human beings, although only a minority thereof, are shown as having PsychicPowers in the future. There is frequently no explanation of where these abilities could have come from between the audience's time and the setting of the show, nor, if these abilities were supposed to always have been present, why they only became accepted common knowledge, as opposed to dismissed as pseudo-science, in the future.

[[AC:ComicBooks]]
* ''Nexus'' has a certain percentage of the human population as telepaths in the future. Several important characters, notably Stanislaus Korivitsky, Michana Loomis, and possibly Horatio Hellpop. Also, just about anyone who survives decapitation develops psychic abilities.
* ''JudgeDredd'' has the Psi-Division Judges, most notably Psi-Judge Anderson.
* In ''{{ElfQuest}}'''s future ''Jink'' and ''Rebels'' storylines, some of humans are "tweaked" for telepathy because the now-hidden elves allegedly possessed it. It's later revealed in the 'present day' storyline that the human Shuna can send to other humans after decades in proximity to the elves and their Palace.

[[AC:Film]]
* ''StarWars'' is only sort of an example, since, while certainly being a ''futuristic'' setting, it is technically set "a long time ago".
* ''StarshipTroopers'', especially the film version. To quote an ad that's shown on the TV: "If you think you're psychic ... maybe you are!"
* ''The Last Mimzy''

* Many citizens of Alpha Complex in [[Paranoia]] have psychic powers of some kind, or some other mutant weirdness going on. Rather than simply fail to explain where these powers come from, the game offers quite a lot of different explanations from radiation to design.

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: in many science fiction stories, human beings, although only a minority thereof, are shown as having PsychicPowers in the future. There is frequently no explanation of where these abilities could have come from between the audience's time and the setting of the show, nor, if these abilities were supposed to always have been present, why they only became accepted common knowledge, as opposed to dismissed pseudo-science, in the future.

This trope may have first arisen from science fiction writers keen on initial research into claims of psychic powers in the 1960s and 1970s. The research didn't pan out, but the trope remained.

* Isaac Asimov went down this route with the Mule, the Second Foundation, Gaia, and, in a much different (less mind reading more telekinesis) the Solarians.
** The Mule was justified as a mutation when he appeared but later retconned [spoiler: into an outcast of Gaia].
** The Second Foundation was justified in that the entire purpose of the Second Foundation was a deep understanding of human psychology on both the personal and civilization levels, so they developed the ability (and technology) to screw with minds [spoiler: and keep Seldon's plan in motion].
** Forget how Gaia was justified, [spoiler: Except for the part where robots did it].

ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: in many science fiction stories, human beings, although only a minority thereof, are shown as having PsychicPowers in the future. There is frequently no explanation of where these abilities could have come from between the audience's time and the setting of the show, nor, if these abilities were supposed to always have been present, why they only became accepted common knowledge, as opposed to dismissed pseudo-science, in the future.

This is sometimes [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in story through resort to the idea of EvolutionaryLevels. Compare TelepathicSpacemen, which is primarily concerned with aliens with psychic powers; the two tropes, of course, can and do appear in the same stories.

This trope may have first arisen from science fiction writers keen on initial research into claims of psychic powers in the 1960s and 1970s. The research didn't pan out, but the trope remained.

* The Universal Century timeline of ''{{Gundam}}'' is all about this, with some people developing into what are called Newtypes and an ideological debate over whether or not they're the next stage of human evolution. The alternate universe spinoff ''GundamX'' takes a different look at the same concept.
* The Topless of {{Diebuster}}. Humanity is starting to evolve the abilities of [[EldritchAbomination its enemies]]. While the most talented can [[RealityWarper bend physics around them]], it is still a flawed power that can be both hard to control and [[GrowingUpSucks lost with adulthood]].

** In addition, his ''TheStarsMyDestination'' also has just about everyone able to learn to teleport, or "jaunte" from point to point, with various personal limitations. As well as a very few who can transmit and/or receive thoughts.

** The Mule was justified as a mutation when he appeared but later retconned [spoiler: into an outcast of Gaia].
** The Second Foundation was justified in that the entire purpose of the Second Foundation was a deep understanding of human psychology on both the personal and civilization levels, so they developed the ability (and technology) to screw with minds [spoiler: and keep Seldon's plan in motion].

* ''{{Babylon 5}}'' had the [=PsiCorps=], the Orwellian organization that regulated and policed human telepaths, and the much rarer telekinetics. Justified in this case because the psychic members of humanity and other species had been TouchedByVorlons.

* ''{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has psykers, who serve many vital roles throughout the Imperium. Additionally, psychic power largely plays the role that magic does in ''WarhammerFantasy Battles''.

* Psionic abilities are a researchable technology in the ''MasterOfOrion'' games. May be this and TelepathicSpacemen, though, as it's available to all races, not just humans.

* ''Nexus'' has a certain percentage of the human population as telepaths in the future. Several important characters, notably Stanislaus Korivitsky, Michana Loomis, and possibly Horatio Hellpop. Also, just about anyone who survives decapitation develops psychic abilities.

* In ''{{ElfQuest}}'''s future ''Jink'' and ''Rebels'' storylines, some of humans are "tweaked" for telepathy because the now-hidden elves allegedly possessed it. It's later revealed in the 'present day' storyline that the human Shuna can send to other humans after decades in proximity to the elves and their Palace.

* ''StarshipTroopers'', especially the film version. To quote an ad that's shown on the TV: "If you think you're psychic ... maybe you are!"

* BatmanBeyond: There is an entire organization of people with naturally-occurring psychic powers, not to mention that Willie Watt's telekinesis was treated in an oddly normal manner, although he wasn't born with it.

* The Topless of {{Diebuster}}. Humanity is starting to evolve the abilities of [[EldritchAbomination its enemies]]. While the most talented of them can [[RealityWarper toy with surrounding laws of physics]], it is still a flawed power that can be both hard to control and [[GrowingUpSucks lost with adulthood]].