One year ago, I discovered that I don't have any superpower.
When I close my eyes, everything is dark.
Yet, 98% of the world's population is phantasic. 98% of the world's population can see an apple in their mind when asked to picture one; can meditate by imagining themselves on a beach; can count sheep to fall asleep. 98% of the world's population has the ability to picture mental images in their mind's eye.
On the contrary, 2% of the population is aphantasic. This beautiful word, whose etymology comes from the ancient Greek ph‡ntasiaÑwhich literally translates to "image, apparition"Ñsimply means that in our head, everything is black. Eyes closed or open, we have no ability to see something that is not there; to picture a scene that will not happen; to replay our memories like movies.
While dozens of images may have crossed your mind as your eyes read those lines, for me, everything is black.