Have you ever thought of someone just before they called, or suddenly sensed a friend’s emotions from afar? These moments often feel fleeting or coincidental, yet they may hint at something more real and measurable than many realize.
For decades, scientists at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) and beyond have studied telepathy — an intuitive or psychic ability to exchange information directly between minds. Once seen as anecdotal, the phenomenon is now being explored through neuroscience, physics, and consciousness studies, bridging the gap between personal experience and the emerging science of intuition.
Defining Telepathy and Psi
Telepathy is considered a type of extrasensory perception, or psi, encompassing exchanges of information that cannot currently be fully explained by conventional science. In the field of consciousness research, psi phenomena also include precognition, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis, which explore how the mind and matter may interact in subtle, measurable ways.
We at IONS call these moments when information or awareness seems to arise from beyond time, space, or the physical body, noetic experiences. The impressions may manifest as images, words, emotions, or even subtle bodily sensations. Additionally, they align with the broader exploration of mind–matter interaction and the science of intention, which examines how consciousness might influence both biological systems and the material world.
Telepathy as a Global and Cross-Cultural Phenomenon
Telepathic experiences are not limited to any one culture or belief system. For example, intuitive or psychic abilities have been reported in many societies throughout history. One of IONS’ studies revealed that approximately 70% of scientists and engineers, groups viewed as highly analytical, have personally experienced what they interpret as telepathy, intuition, or related psi events. In this same study, 90% of adults reported at least one noetic or extrasensory experience in their lifetime.
Across the globe and throughout history, such experiences often coexist comfortably with modern life. From indigenous healing traditions to modern-day energy medicine practices, telepathic and intuitive communication frequently overlaps with the principles of energy healing and the shared belief that consciousness can extend beyond the boundaries of the body.
Scientific Evidence for Telepathy
While self-reported data provide compelling insights, other controlled experiments have produced equally intriguing results. In another of our studies on telepathy, participants were asked to intuit which of three potential callers would contact them. When the participants focused their positive intention on the person they were calling, the results were significantly above chance, suggesting the presence of a form of consciousness that transcends physical limitations. Having a genetic relationship, such as between grandparents and grandchildren, was also associated with greater accuracy, hinting at a potential biological or emotional component. Additionally, pairs who share strong bonds, such as couples, often score higher in telepathic accuracy, suggesting that emotional closeness may create coherence between nervous systems, making it easier for subtle signals to be perceived.
Laboratory studies have also demonstrated similar findings under double-blind conditions (briefly discussed within a report of a survey study about noetic experiences). For example, the Ganzfeld method, which reduces external sensory input, consistently produced above-chance telepathic results across decades of meta-analyses. Studies also suggest that telepathic or intention-based interactions can produce subtle physiological responses, measurable changes in the body such as heart rate, breathing, or skin reactions. These findings show us that focused thought and intention may subtly influence living systems and transmit information nonlocally, even if the underlying mechanism is still unknown.
The Future of Telepathy Research
Despite decades of evidence, many questions remain. What biological or energetic systems mediate telepathic perception? Is it inherited or trainable? How might the survival of consciousness after death relate to these forms of connection?
To explore these questions, IONS continues to conduct and invite participation in cutting-edge studies. The latest telepathy study is currently seeking emotionally bonded pairs. Learn more about participating in this online study.
IONS is in the final stages of creating the new Telepathy Evidence Map, a unique resource compiling over 100 peer-reviewed research papers on telepathy.
Learn more ABOUT TELEPATHY
Such investigations are shaping the concept that consciousness is not only a personal experience but also interacts with the world around us. If our thoughts and emotions can be subtly felt across distance, perhaps human awareness may indeed be continuous, interconnected, and capable of transcending the boundaries between us. Thus, perhaps our minds are part of a much larger, shared reality than we realize.
