The distinguishing factors cannot be natural or artificial. Magic after all is a natural process. One assumes magic existed before there was man to manipulate it. Whatever prevents Talents from reaching between universes would have to also effect Magic the same way or at least via the same mechanism.
The creative part of me does think that there is a God element at play. Perhaps humanity partakes of God's creative ability as well as omniscience? Arcanans can change the universe just as God can. Sharonans can know the universe as God can. That knowledge and power is limited to one universe at a time. This does not provide proof of God's existence or absence within the story, but is good as a metaphor to explain both Magic and Talents.
Howard T. Map-addict wrote:Light travels just fine because it is Natural.
Radios, and electrical wires, are Artificial,
so the Gates stop them.
Radio Waves are Natural, of course, so they go right
on through ... like light waves.
When Light is artificial altered, as in a Laser Beam, it
is stopped by the Gate Face, and doesn't even reflect!
Or so I believe, and guess, and presume.
I don't recall any textev on these subjects.
But "a bit of handwavium," Peter?
You're thinking too small, I ween.
We have here three whole books of handwavium, ink and
paper wavium, Dragon Naturally Speaking voicewavium,
and numerous other sorts of wavium!
Howard T. Map-addict