Magic is a force that exists within our universe which was discovered by humanity in 2051. Due to the prevailing use of this term in fiction both before and after its discovery, there is much confusion on what magic actually is.
Magic is simply a type of energy that allows some action to be performed which should, otherwise, not be possible following the laws of physics. Many studies have attempted to understand magic as an exact science, but so far it is thought to be impossible.
Magic is, ubiquitously, an inherent, single ability of an organic lifeform. Meaning, it does not exist on its own, cannot be learned, and is not versatile. The same way a snake uses venom to kill its prey, an ice imp uses ice magic to freeze its prey upon touching them with its fingertips.
Many types of magic have been observed. The first magic discovered by humans was space magic from Roosevelt’s algae (also known simply as space algae) deep in Earth’s oceans. Once this algae allowed humanity to travel the galaxy (see warp travel) many more types were discovered in alien species: fire, ice, electricity, nature, kinetic, just to name a few. There are some types of magic which have been theorized to exist, such as time or nuclear bonds, but that have never been observed.
Humans have no inherent magical ability, however raw magic essence injected into a developing fetal human can allow them to foster magical abilities, if it doesn’t kill them. Due to the risk this poses to the fetus and mother, the danger of the manifested powers, and the inhumane process used to extract this essence from a living being, this practice is illegal by the United Planets of the Milky Way and most other governmental bodies.
It has been observed that humans with such magical abilities are unable to procreate with other humans, unless their partner has the same type of magical ability as them. The offspring will then be born with magic of this type as well. This makes humans with magical abilities technically a different species from all nonmagical humans and those with magic of differing types.