Theory:Ability Replication
- - As we can currently see from the "orange-glow" that occurs when he touches an evolved human, he takes their power until he is exposed to another power (through physical contact).
When Arthur was shot by Peter (yet the bullet was actually let go and launched, by Sylar) we saw Arthur on the floor with an orange-glow surrounding him as if his power was leaking out of him. What I suspect in my theory is that Peter saw his dad as the strongest of them all and wanted to be the same because he thought Peter was a disgrace, this changed his genes (or the glow affected his genes) and his new ability from the formula is most likely Power Absorption but with the ability to do it without permanently taking the ability.
He can use the ability of anyone he physically touches (even without knowing it) and loses it when in contact with another ability, I guess he has Power Absorption but in an early stage where he can't manifest it correctly. After-all Arthur had just telepathy because he probably couldn't manifest more than one ability and mentally taught himself how to take more than one? If he doesn't have power absorption, then he has Power Mimicry (via physical touch). --Arkillion 10:24, 10 February 2009 (EST)