telekinetic

Telekinetic is an adjective describing the claimed ability to move, influence, or manipulate objects and systems through mental power without direct physical interaction, sometimes at a distance. The noun telekinesis refers to that supposed power. The term derives from Greek tele, distant, and kinesis, movement. In everyday usage, telekinesis is frequently used interchangeably with psychokinesis, a broader label for the supposed influence of mind over matter.

In scientific contexts, telekinesis is regarded as unproven. There is no reliable, reproducible evidence that supports the existence of telekinetic abilities under controlled conditions. Critics note that many reported demonstrations can be explained by artifacts such as measurement bias, cues, or the ideomotor effect. The dominant view in physics holds that moving macroscopic objects without physical contact would violate known conservation laws unless mediated by previously unknown forces, and no such mechanisms have been demonstrated.

Historically, the concept gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of psychical research. In popular culture, telekinesis is a common motif—depicted in novels, films, and television as a form of supernatural or highly developed cognitive power. Public figures such as Uri Geller have been associated with telekinetic demonstrations; however, their claims have been subject to substantial skepticism and replication failure.