How would intelligent lifeforms evolve bio magnetic resonance imaging? No bionic components or any other prosthetic technology is allowed, how can I extend the ability to see through dehydrated objects such as TV and piggybank? Magic is banned.
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4$\begingroup$ I'm struck by a mental image, of a mutant with this ability activating his eyes for the first time...and being instantly blinded by every random piece of metal in his sight sailing directly into his eyeballs. Like, they really aren't screwing around when they tell you to take off all your metal in an MRI machine. Those magnets are strong. $\endgroup$– PleromaCommented Sep 13, 2016 at 9:43
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They would not
If you exclude magic from this question then the answer is simple: they would not evolve this ability.
MRI works by creating extremely powerful oscillating magnetic fields, in the Megahertz-range (i.e. radio frequency range). There is no known biological function that can create Megahertz frequencies, let alone narrow-band such frequencies, let alone in field strengths of 0.1 Tesla or more. That a creature could gather the immense amount of energy needed for this, and then being able to convert this energy to electricity and pump this through electrical conductors in such a way that you get a usable MRI field from this is far beyond what biological life can muster.
Then there is the problem of detecting the response of the resonating atoms. For this you need to surround the thing you are looking at with receptors. And these receptors must then be able to do advanced two-dimensional Fourier Transforms. Now granted the latter is not a very big deal since one-dimensional Fourier Transforms is what our ears do. But here you want an entire string of "ears" that wrap around that which you want to "listen" to.
So in order to evolve this, you must include magic, i.e. physics and biology of which we have no clue how it works. Otherwise you are bust; it will not happen.
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1$\begingroup$ This covers the issues well. The wraparound receptors means even it existed it wouldn't be MRI vision. It would be more like putting objects inside a MRI cavity, inside the organism, to scan them there. This is merely apart from MRI vision being impossible. +1 for a concise & clear answer. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 13, 2016 at 10:55
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1$\begingroup$ Thanks for including "physics and biology of which we have no clue how it works" as magic. Clarke lives again! $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 13, 2016 at 14:23
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$\begingroup$ @CortAmmon I have taken to always use Clarke's definition of "magic" as such. :) $\endgroup$– MichaelKCommented Sep 13, 2016 at 14:34