Trivia: In episode 18, "Parasite", Hiro finds the sword listed on the computer with the ID "CRM-114". This tag crops up in many Stanley Kubrick films, including A Clockwork Orange (as "serum 114") starring Malcolm McDowell, who also features in this episode.
Trivia: On the floor of Isaac's loft, the painting of the New York explosion was originally done in black and white. The pilot episode and a couple others were shot with the black and white floor. The color was added in post-production. After a couple of episodes of them having to digitally add color, and realizing they would be shooting in Isaac's loft a lot, the producers finally decided to have the floor painted to save time and production costs.
Chosen answer: It's not been made 100% clear. It was originally assumed that he actually consumed part of the brain, but this has turned out not to be the case. Sylar has been shown all along to have an instinctive knowledge of how things work and how to fix them - this is his actual original power and the ability that made him an exceptional watchmaker and repairer. It appears that he uses a similar process when acquiring new powers - he exposes the brain of the target, allowing him to examine it and determine how their power functions. He can then apply that knowledge to his own brain, allowing him to replicate the ability in question.
Tailkinker ★