Theory:Abilities by classical element

Mohinder Suresh has said that there are four genes responsible for evolved human abilities (Parasite). One theory suggests that these four genes, and the abilities that they enable, can be symbolized by the four Greek classical elements (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water):

In human genetics, it is theorized that traits such as eye, hair, and skin color are controlled by more than one gene. It can follow that, in evolved humans, more than one gene is responsible for each unique ability. Thusly, an ability may be a manifestation of more than one element.

Below are fan theories as to which abilities correspond to each classical element category.

Air: Invisible interactions with matter and things

Abilities	Arguments
Ability supercharging	+ This ability interacts with the bodies of other Evolved humans, forcibly activating abilities.
Alchemy	+ This ability uses Air because it alters atomic structure of the target substance. This process is invisible.
Alejandro's ability	+ This ability uses two elements: Air and Earth. This ability uses Air because it enables the user to draw the poison generated by poison emission into the his/her own body.
Appearance alteration	+ Enables the user to shape and form the body of another, possibly by destabilizing the cellular bonds of the target's tissues.
Body insertion	+ This abiliy uses elements: Air and Water. This ability appears to combine the atoms of two individuals into one body.
Clairsentience	+ This ability uses two elements: Air and Water. This ability "reads" objects, an invisible interaction.
Crumpling	+ Alters solid matter that is touched such that it softens for easy bending or crushing.
Dehydration	+ Removes water from the target.
Electronic communication	+ User can manipulate systems remotely, send, receive and obtain electronic data from systems.
Empathic mimicry	+ Use of this ability requires Air to absorb a new ability. This ability also requires Earth to alter genes to use a stored ability, and potentially any of the four elements when replicating the stored ability.
Flight	+ Causes user's body to levitate, possibly via a specific interaction between user's body and either an aspect of the earth itself or the air surrounding the user.
Freezing	+ Acts on atoms and molecules, reducing their kinetic energy.
Healing	+ Interacts with the bodies of living things, causing them to heal faster.
Illusion	+ May physically project surfaces and imagery onto environment. - May instead alter perception and thus be water.
Invisibility	+ May involve projection. - May instead alter perception and thus be Water, or alter one's own body and thus be Earth.
Levitation	+ Interacts with objects to counter the net force of gravity on those objects.
Magnetism	+ Magnetism is an invisible force.
Melting	+ Destabilizes the atomic and/or molecular bonds in matter.
Phasing	+ Allows user to move through the atoms/molecules that s/he wishes to move through, possibly by altering the other atoms/molecules themselves or shifting them to another dimension. - May instead accomplish this by altering the molecules of the user or shifting them into another dimension.
Poison emission	+ Releases a poison. Could also help it infiltrate the bodies of others as well.
Plant growth	+ Causes the rate of plant growth to accelerate.
Space-time manipulation	+ Interacts with other dimensions. Enables controlling rate of time flow and folding time and/or space.
Telekinesis	+ Interacts with objects causing them to move or their molecules to separate.
Technopathy	+ Interacts with electronics, enabling the user to control them or obtain information from them.

Earth: Manipulations and/or enhancements of one's own body

Abilities	Arguments
Ability theft	+ Although not an outright ability, Noah's exchange with Sylar in Fallout regarding Sylar's stolen abilities, and the fact that this strange and mysterious procedure can even be performed, indicates that it alters the body of the person performing the it, granting the performer the ability of the victim.
Acid secretion	+ The ability may be an enhancement to the sweat glands on the user's forearms and hands such that user can secrete a highly corrosive acid through his skin.
Alejandro's ability	+ Renders the user's body immune to the effects of poison emission. Also enables the user's body to render the poison inert.
Aura absoption	+ Enables the user's body to absorb the life energies of another individual and also any evolved human abilities that person may have.
Cloning	+ Clones emerge from, an thus are created by, the user's body.
Empathic mimicry	+ This ability requires Earth to alter genes to use a stored ability. Use also requires Air to absorb a new ability, and potentially any of the four elements when replicating the stored ability.
Enhanced hearing	+ Enhances the sense of hearing, enabling the user to hear fainter sounds than they would otherwise.
Enhanced memory	+ Enhances the memory capacity of the user.
Enhanced speed	+ Enables the user to move at faster speeds than normal.
Enhanced strength	+ Enhances the amount of physical force that can be applied by the user.
Invisibility	+ May alter one's own body and thus be Earth. - May instead involve projection and thus be Air, or alter perception and thus be Water.
Lung adaptation	+ Altering of one's own body to adapt one's lungs to any environment.
Mohinder's ability	+ Mohhinder injected himself with his own serum. In describing the effects and sensations produced he has said: "My senses are heightened. I'm stronger, faster, more agile. I have boundless energy. I'm a new man!" • The serum may be affecting his anatomy, as he as developed weeping sores.
Nerve gas emission	+ Renders the user's sweat glands able to emit a deadly toxin, which evaporates into the environment. The user seems to be unaffected by the toxin
Phasing	+ Enables the user's body to pass through objects, potentially by shifting the user's body into another dimension. - May accomplish this instead by altering the other atoms/molecules themselves or shifting them to another dimension.
Plant mimicry	+ Enables the user's body parts to mimic the function and appearance of any desired plant.
Poison emission	+ Renders the user immune to a very deadly poison or enables the body of the user to create the poison.
Rapid cell regeneration	+ Enables the user's body to heal itself at a faster rate than normal.
Sound manipulation	+ Enables the user's vocal cords to generate any sound. Also uses fire.
Sound absorption	+ Enables the user's body to absorb and nullify sound waves.
Telescopic vision	+ This ability uses both Earth and Water: The user has an enhanced visual cortex (part of the brain) that lets the user see at telescopic distance and at night.
Water mimicry	+ Enables the user to turn his body into water or a similar substance.

Fire: Energy manipulation/generation

Abilities	Arguments
Disintegration touch	+ Enables the user to emit plasma energy from the user's forearms and hands.
Electrical absorption	+ Enables user to absorb and release electrical energy.
Electric manipulation	+ Enables user to generate and release electrical energy. + Can ignite objects. - Is classically understood to be air manipulation.
Empathic mimicry	+ This ability may use Fire or the other elements when replicating a stored ability. It requires Air to absorb a new ability and Earth to alter genes to use a stored ability.
Freezing	+ Enables user to remove kinetic energy from molecules, thus lowering the temperature of objects.
Future Ando's ability	+ The ability appears to generate red-colored energy.
Induced radioactivity	+ Enables the user to generate and release radiation of various types across the electromagnetic spectrum as well as generate and release sub atomic particles. + Can ignite objects.
Pyrokinesis	+ Enables the user to generate fire. + Can ignite objects.
Sound manipulation	+ Primarily using Earth, it does however enable the user's body to convert energy into sound.

Water: Enhancements of the innate capabilities of one's brain

Abilities	Arguments
Adoptive muscle memory	+ Enables the user to remember how to perform an action when said action is seen only once by the user.
Bliss and horror	+ Enables the user to inflict sensations onto others, possibly altering perceptions in the victim's brain.
Body insertion	+ This abiliy uses elements: Air and Water. When Person A is inserted into person B, the consciousness (a part of the brain) of Person A replaces that of person B.
Clairsentience	+ Enables the user to perceive something imperceivable by normal humans.
Clairvoyance	+ Part of user's consciousness, a part of the brain's "software," travels outside of the user's body to interact with the environment and perceive things (The Kindness of Strangers), while interfacing with a living subject's brain in order to find the subject (Powerless). + Consciousness can also can be interacted with via telepathy. (The Kindness of Strangers)
Dream manipulation	+ Enables user's brain to interface with the brain of another while the subject is asleep, enabling the user to alter the perceptions of the subject.
Electronic data transception	+ Enables user's brain to interact with certain nonliving, electronic entities without contact.
Empathic mimicry	+ This ability may use Water or the other elements when replicating a stored ability. It requires Air to absorb a new ability and Earth to alter genes to use a stored ability. If Peter's dreams are part of this ability, then Water is also used to provide his precognitive dreams.
Enhanced memory	+ Enhances the memory capabilities of the brain.
Illusion	+ May cause false perceptions into other's brains. - May instead involve projection and thus be Air.
Intuitive aptitude	+ Enables the user's brain to quickly understand complicated systems with little equipment.
Invisibility	+ May alter perception and thus be Water. - May instead involve projection and thus be Air, or alter one's own body and thus be Earth.
Mediumship	+ Enables the brain to visualize the cosmic energies of people who have passed away.
Mental manipulation	+ Enables user to affect the brains of others, specifically memory circuits and ability "software" in a subject's brain.
Omnilingualism	+ May enable the user's brain to read the brain of the person with which s/he wishes to speak with and "download" the verbal and nonverbal language of that person before beginning the conversation.
Persuasion	+ Enables user to force a subject to do what the user wishes, perhaps through a brain interface.
Precognition	+ Enables the brain to perceive the future, which is imperceivable to normal humans, in a trance-like state.
Precognitive dreaming	+ Enables the brain to perceive the future, which is imperceivable to normal humans, through dreams.
Telepathy	+ Enables the brain of the user to interface with other brains, enabling transception of thoughts as well as altering the perceptions of others.
Telescopic vision	+ This ability uses both Earth and Water: The user has an enhanced visual cortex (part of the brain) that lets the user see at telescopic distance and at night.

Notes

• On February 7, 2008, primatechpaper.com was updated and Assignment Tracker 2.0 was added. This new database identifies several abilities and assigns them an "evolutionary anomaly class" splitting them as either cerebral or elemental. Electronic communication, enhanced memory, intuitive aptitude and telepathy were all identified as cerebral, and would thus be grouped in the "water" category by the Company.

Theories about Abilities edit
Abilities by classical element	Abilities by the Company's analysis	Abilities by Dr. Suresh's category