Telekinesis Cassie Simpson If there were one super power I could possess it would have to be telekinesis. I’m sure I’m not the only person that has attempted to move an object with their mind after watching one too many reruns of Matilda as a child. As I’ve matured and gained more knowledge and experience in both life and engineering, I’ve been able to draw two conclusions pertaining to superhuman abilities: 1. Most superpowers, sadly, don’t exist; I say most because parents definitely have eyes in the back of their heads and precognitive abilities despite how much they may deny it. 2. Telekinesis is by far the most useful superpower you could have when considering it is not just the movement of objects, but the movement of matter. Matter is defined as anything that has mass and volume. Through my studies as a Materials Science and Engineering major, I’ve come to realize how all-encompassing this term truly is. Things you can’t see and feel, such as the air you breathe, the scents you smell, and the flavors you taste are classified as matter. The ability to control and manipulate matter drives virtually all processes in our physical world, so the implications for telekinesis go far beyond levitating a book over to yourself without having to get out of bed. You could alter the chemical structure and molecular activity of practically any resource you can think of, which opens the door to limitless opportunities. If I had telekinesis, I would help the world in any way super-humanly possible. I would cure cancer by stopping the endless division of telomere regions, condense water droplets in regions experiencing drought, help launch rocket ships into space- the possibilities are endless. Although energy isn’t a form of matter, its generation could be achieved by using telekinesis. I would warm someone with hypothermia by moving subatomic particles so fast that their collisions result in the formation of heat. I would synthesize enough food to feed the world, lift heavy objects for the elderly, and anything else, big or small, that would make at least one person smile. Through the use of a superhero disguise and nickname, I would be able to live out my everyday life as a passionate materials science engineer. I would use my ability to create new metals and polymers with enhanced physical and mechanical properties and make all of these compounds readily available to anyone who could benefit from them. In addition to my two conclusions pertaining to superhuman abilities, there are two historical figures with quotes that encompass the actions I would take if I had the power of telekinesis: “Without knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile” -Abu Bakr “Knowledge is power” - Francis Bacon And with great power comes great responsibility.