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Researchers from Queen Mary University of London and University College London have demonstrated, for the first time, that humans possess a previously unrecognized sense—remote touch. The finding, published in IEEE Xplore in October 2025, builds on the classic model of the five senses and the more recently recognized proprioception.
In their experiment, 12 volunteers were asked to locate a 2‑inch plastic cube hidden at the bottom of a sand‑filled container. Participants could only insert the first two knuckles of their index fingers into the sand, keeping their fingertips out of reach of the cube. Remarkably, they succeeded with a 70.7 % success rate, indicating that the body can detect subtle material deformations that signal the presence of an object.
Remote touch is not unique to humans. Shorebirds such as sandpipers and plovers use their beaks to sense minute vibrations in sand, guiding them to buried prey. The mechanism is analogous to echolocation, but instead of relying on reflected sound waves, it depends on detecting the physical displacement of the surrounding medium.
Our own sensory system appears to monitor minuscule shifts in the sand or other substrates around an object. When a hidden cube pushes the surrounding grains slightly, the first knuckles register that change, allowing us to triangulate its position.
The discovery holds promise for archaeology and geoscience. By harnessing remote touch, researchers could locate buried structures or artifacts with minimal excavation, reducing environmental impact and increasing efficiency. The technology also inspires robotic applications; however, a prototype robot achieved only 40 % accuracy, underscoring the complexity of replicating this human faculty.
As scientists deepen their understanding of remote touch, the potential for innovative tools—both biological and engineered—continues to expand.
