The Silence

The Silence were a mysterious species that forced the Doctor's TARDIS to explode on the date of June 26th 2010, and thus created cracks in time that would erase various things throughout the universe, and eventually the universe itself. They acted as parasites, using post-hypnotic suggestion to have other races construct things for them.

Biology
The Silence were tall humanoids with bulbous heads and grey, mouthless faces. Their hands possessed large, elongated fingers with a bulbous central finger. They had small eyes in deep recesses in the skull. The eyes lacked sclera and were completely dark. They spoke in low, guttural voices and tended to make growling or clicking noises. They also wore black suits and ties. (DW: The Impossible Astronaut) The Silence would also hang upside down from ceilings while they slept, much like Earth bats. (DW: Day of the Moon)

Powers and abilities
The Silence were able to remain hidden on Earth for thousands of years, as anyone who saw them - or even a photograph or recording of them - would instantly forget about them the moment they looked away. Anyone looking at the Silence would recover their memories of previous sightings, although not instantaneously.

The Silence could also use an energy discharge from their hands to kill and obliterate a human being, leaving only ashes behind. It appeared that they had to draw this energy from an outside source though, as when performing this act the energy from the lights flew into it. When absorbing the energy and discharging it, a hole appeared where a mouth should have been. (DW: The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon)

They could also influence humans by saying something while a person was looking at them. The command would remain in their minds after they looked away in a form of post-hypnotic suggestion. Constantly doing this would cause the person in question to lose their mind. (DW: Day of the Moon)

History
The Silence were apparently present on Earth for thousands of years, since the time the wheel and fire were developed, going unnoticed by the human race. They used post-hypnotic suggestions to guide humans into unconsciously doing their bidding such as going to the moon. (DW: The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon)

The Silence first took control of the Doctor's TARDIS in 102 A.D. They forced it to land outside of Amy Pond's house on June 26th 2010, and it exploded shortly afterward, trapping River Song inside it within a time loop until the Doctor saved her. Although the entity behind the voice was never visible or named, it was heard speaking before the TARDIS exploded, saying: "Silence will fall!" (DW: The Pandorica Opens / The Big Bang). In 1580 Venice, Rosanna Calvierri said that through some of the cracks, the Saturnynians saw only silence and the end of all things. This caused them to flee their homeworld to Earth. (DW: The Vampires of Venice)

One of the Silence spied on the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and River in Utah, 2011. Another one visited the White House in 1969 and killed Joy in front of Amy Pond. (DW: The Impossible Astronaut) They later kidnapped Amy for unknown purposes and cryptically told her that she would help "bring the silence." In addition, they showed interest in the welfare of a mysterious little girl. (DW: Day of the Moon)

The Silence were defeated by the Doctor when he ensured humanity saw footage of a wounded Silent broadcasted via the moon landing, in which the Silent said the words "You should kill us all on sight". This footage was viewed by half-a-billion humans at the time, and would be viewed by their descendants. They then began killing the Silence on sight without knowing they were doing it. (DW: Day of the Moon)

However, it appears at least one survived and was present at the death of the Eleventh Doctor in Utah in 2011. (DW: The Impossible Astronaut)

Behind the scenes

 * Moffat states that he was inspired by Edvard Munch's The Scream when creating the Silence's appearance.