We are at the halfway point of our celebration of 50 years of Star Trek, and today we will be looking at some of the great technologies that blew our minds and got us all excited about the FUTURE.
Here is my list of the Top 10 coolest pieces of Trek Tech:
#10 Communicator
Now you have to remember that when Star Trek came out in 1966 cellphones were decades away, so seeing people flip open a device and talk to each other was pretty exciting stuff. In The Next Generation they were shrunk down into little badges so cellphones still have some catching up to do on that front.
And who hasn’t flipped something open and asked for Scotty to beam them up. Come on. Be honest.
#9 PADD
Like the communicator the Personal Access Display Device (PADD) looks like your modern day tab device but they seemed pretty futuristic back in the late 80s and early 90s.
#8 Phaser
Stun or kill? The main weapon of the Federation the phaser has gone through many iterations but the basic stun or kill settings have endured. And they have a quite a few uses as well including disintegration, cutting, welding or even overloading and using as a makeshift bomb. There is also the larger phaser rifles when you absolutely, positively kill every mother lovin’ Borg in the room.
#7 Transporter
You may be wondering why the transporter is so low on this list but like Dr Leonard “Bones” McCoy I do not find the idea of having my molecules scrambled and transported all over the place appealing. According to reports the transporter was originally introduced because having to show a shuttle every episode was expensive and someone had the idea to just have them “appear” on the planet. The effect looks and sounds cool but give me a shuttle any day.
#6 Tricorder
Imagine a device that could tell you everything you need to know about a planet or a person’s body with the click of a button. Whether for scientific research or a life saving diagnosis the tricorder is one handy little doohickey.
#5 Warp drive
Without the faster than light propulsion of the Warp Drive there would be no Star Trek or a very boring and planet sparse version. And it is exciting to imagine a future where it takes mere hours or even minutes to travel from planet to planet. Who say intergalactic par-tey!
#4 VISOR
A technology that can allow a blind person to have some form of sight is one of the most empowering technologies in all of Trek. And chief engineer Geordi La Forge’s VISOR (Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ Replacement) does not only make him “see” but he can see things no else can. It practically makes him a superhero. Go Geordi!
This is one piece of Trek Tech I really hope does become a reality.
#3 Universal translator
Language classes? Who needs em? With this handy device you can immediately translate any language, from Korean to Klingon. It is a must have for those traveling around the world or the galaxy. It can keep you from ending up with a plate of writhing gagh when you actually just wanted some goulash.
And unlike some of the others on the list this device is the closest to coming into fruition (you can read about one possible contender here).
#2 Replicator
The perfect gift for your foodie friend, no home of the future is complete without your standard replicator. You feeling for pizza? Boom! You got pizza. Filet mignon? Boom! You got that too. Whatever your heart and belly desires.
Sure you can replicate other things like musical instruments and even deadly weapons but come on, it’s all about the food.
#1 Holodeck
Video game, theme park, virtual reality and training simulator in one there is no scene the holodeck cannot recreate. Countless hours of enjoyment are to be had with this versatile device.
Whether you are pretending to be Sherlock Holmes, fighting skull-faced creatures, romancing Irish men or pretending to be a 50s sci fi hero, there really is nothing cooler than the holodeck and nothing I would want to use more.
So which Star Trek tech is your favorite? Feel free to comment below.
For Pt 1 of 50 years of Trek, 50 things to love, where we looked at Top 10 species, you can click here and for Pt 2 where we looked at Top 10 ships you can click here. And for Pt 4 tomorrow on the Top 10 humorous episodes and other posts that will hopefully live long and prosper, you can subscribe via email or follow me on Twitter @suprememango012 for updates.
Julien is outie like a navel. l8rs
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