Gallifreyan physiology: Difference between revisions

The Time Lord [[brain]] was much larger and more complex than the human brain. The size differences effectively ruled out [[brain transplant]]s from a Gallifreyan to a human. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Brain of Morbius (TV story)|The Brain of Morbius]]'') They had either one, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Magician's Apprentice (TV story)|The Magician's Apprentice]]'') two, ([[TV]]: [[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|''Spearhead from Space'']]) or three ([[TV]]: ''[[Extremis (TV story)|Extremis]]'') [[brainstem]]s. Time Lords had a form of [[eidetic memory|eidetic]] [[short-term memory]], able to recall every insignificant detail of even the most moments in time. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]'') The [[Timewyrm]] noticed that on a quantum level, the [[Seventh Doctor]]'s brain could receive information from possible futures, possibly without even realising it consciously, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Timewyrm: Revelation]]'') and the [[Ninth Doctor]] later concurred that he could, "all the time", see "all that ever could be". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'')

Time Lords could also separate the [[brain hemisphere|hemispheres]] of their brain, allowing them to [[multitasking|multitask]] easily. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Island of Death (novel)|Island of Death]]'') Records on [[Gharusa Prime|some planets]] indicated isolated cerebral hemispheres as a characteristic of Time Lords. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Doctormania (comic story)|Doctormania]]'') Time Lords had an additional brain lobe dedicated to mechanical and other bodily functions, freeing the other lobes for intellectual endeavours. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Spare Parts (audio story)|Spare Parts]]'') The autonomic functions could be artificially supplanted with a special device, allowing the Gallifreyan to think with their autonomic brain. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Shada (novelisation)|Shada]]'')

Time Lords displayed the ability of touch-enabled mental manipulation; this manifested itself in a number of different ways, including [[hypnosis]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Autons (TV story)|Terror of the Autons]]'', ''[[The Ribos Operation (TV story)|The Ribos Operation]]'', ''[[Fear Her (TV story)|Fear Her]]'') mind-reading, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Girl in the Fireplace (TV story)|The Girl in the Fireplace]]'') thought sharing, ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') the ability to relieve dementia, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code (TV story)|The Shakespeare Code]]'') putting others to sleep, ([[TV]]: ''[[Listen (TV story)|Listen]]'') mentally influencing the dreams of others ([[TV]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]'') and memory erasure. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'') They could also transfer knowledge quickly to another person by headbutting them. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lodger (TV story)|The Lodger]]'')

Time Lords were [[telepathy|telepathically]] linked to one another and could join the entire Time Lord intelligence as one. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Invisible Enemy (TV story)|The Invisible Enemy]]'') They could hold telepathic conversations over distances, but this was more difficult. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sensorites (TV story)|The Sensorites]]'', ''[[The Three Doctors (TV story)|The Three Doctors]]'', ''[[The Pirate Planet (TV story)|The Pirate Planet]]'') They could converse with each over the [[astral plane]], although this ability required intense concentration, and an interruption might have fatal consequences for the Time Lord. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Two Doctors (TV story)|The Two Doctors]]'') Their telepathy extended to less intelligent animals. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lodger (TV story)|The Lodger]]'') Perhaps because of this, they had an innate ability to understand any language. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Warring States (novel)|Warring States]]'') In ancient times, Gallifreyans who were capable of blocking out the telepathic thoughts of other Gallifreyans were called Individuals. They usually had red-gold hair and often went on to become Young Heroes. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'')