Psychokinesis

Psychokinesis (literally "mind-movement"), also referred to as telekinesis (Greek τῆλε + κίνησις, literally "distant-movement") with respect to strictly describing mental movement or motion of solid matter, abbreviated as PK and TK respectively, is a term coined by publisher Henry Holt to refer to the direct influence of mind on a physical system without the use of physical action or energy. Simply put, psychokinesis is the movement of a physical object by the use of the mind only.

Psychokinesis in "Designated Hitter"
The "Confederacy of Sentient Beings" had three qualifications for admitting a new speciies: 1) to develop controlled nuclear energy; 2) to begin to explore outer space, and 3) to begin to master their minds and control objects directly.

The Confederacy became aware of Earth, and new that humans had met the first two qualifications. They sent a scout to Earth, who, in the guise of Michael, became part of a beer-league softball team called the Gators. During his time with the Gators, he met a player called Dr Strangeglove, who grandly described the knuckle-balls he threw as "mind over matter". Michael misunderstood, believing that humans had developed psychokinetic powers, and immediately reported to the Confederacy.

The Confederacy revealed themselves weeks later.