Psychics say they can do it; that is, read the minds of others. Now scientist say they can do it too, and they have proved it in studies involving high-tech brain scans like funtional MRI and computer algorithms instead of the tradional crystal ball.

John-Dylan Haynes from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, in cooperation with researchers from London and Tokyo, conducted experiments in which the secret intentions of subjects were predicted with 70% accuracy.

Participants were asked to choose between two tasks, to either add or subtract two numbers. The participants made their choices secretly and before they were shown the numbers they were to add or subtract. Researchers asked participants to hold their intention in their mind for a while until the numbers were shown to them on a screen. Based on scans of brain activity, the researchers were able to predict which calculation the participants had decided upon before they saw the numbers or made any calculations.

These startling incidents of “mind reading” were accomplished by programming computers to recognize characteristic brain activity patterns associated with specific thoughts. The computer then can predict the decisions of subjects from scans of their brain activity.

The technology may have future uses in computer-assisted devices and brain/computer interfaces for patients who suffer paralysis.