psychometry - Depictions of psychometry in popular culture

In parapsychology, the apparent ability of a person to gain information paranormally from an inanimate object about events associated with it or its owner.

In parapsychology, psychometry is an alleged psi (or psychic) ability in which the user is able to relate details about the past condition of an object or area, usually by being in close contact with it. Psychometry is a type of retrocognition. Psychometry, like all other paranormal abilities, is unconfirmed and hotly debated in most circles.

Depictions of psychometry in popular culture

Psychometry has been depicted as a plot device in several works of popular fiction:

Actor Jeff Goldblum portrays a psychometrist in the 1988 comedy movie Vibes. Night Shyamalan film Unbreakable experiences a similar form of psychometry. A similar power is bestowed upon Johnny Smith, the main character in the Stephen King novel/movie/TV series The Dead Zone, who combines this talent with clairvoyance, and can see a person's past or future by touching them. Kaos, a character in the manga Gunnm (Battle Angel Alita in the US), has a form of psychometry that allows him to absorb not only memories but knowledge and skills as well. In the computer game Myst IV: Revelation the player character, the Stranger, finds an amulet which endows him with a degree of psychometric ability, so that at certain points in the game he/she can see or hear events that have happened in the past (providing backstory or clues to the game's puzzles). The fictional superheroes Longshot and X-Man from the X-Men stories published by Marvel Comics have, among their super-powers, the power of psychometry. During the Ginyu saga of Dragon Ball Z, Son Goku uses psychometry that he developed during intense training in 100 times earth's gravity to read Kuririn's mind and assess his friends current situation on the Planet Namek. Miho Karasuma, from the anime Witch Hunter Robin, uses psychometry to help solve supernatural crimes and track rogue witches. Left Hand, from the popular books and movies Vampire Hunter D, has been shown to use psychometry to help D find out about battles that had just occurred in the area or where a vampire he may be tracking went to. Both the movie and comic book versions of Abe Sapien from Hellboy possess psychometric powers. In the movie The Crow the hero Eric Draven has the ability to touch a person or an object and certain information about the person or object is revealed to Eric via glimpses or flashbacks. In the manga version of Sailor Moon, Chiba Mamoru is able to use psychometry to determine the nature and origin of objects. In the Trinity (role-playing game), ISRAn psions use a Clairsentience mode called psychometry. He can also use psychomentry on people Phoebe Halliwell of the TV series Charmed possesses a form of psychometry as one of her innate powers.