Buzz
On September 8, 1966, Star Trek, often known as The Original Series, premiered on NBC with the episode titled 'The Man Trap.' This debut featured a woman who could transform into a terrifying salt vampire, both in appearance and behavior. It captivated the American public, who were beginning to embrace science fiction. While the series was short-lived after its third season, its reruns created a dedicated fanbase and gave rise to a globally beloved franchise.
By 2021, 13 Star Trek films and 11 television series (including three animated ones) had been produced, with several more TV projects in development and another film scheduled for release in 2023. Star Trek's influence is ubiquitous, shaping our media, language, technology, and even the trajectory of military and exploratory missions in our country. The cultural impact of Star Trek is a remarkable phenomenon in its own right.
10. Let’s Begin with the Enterprise
In 1775, the British sloop-of-war George was captured by American forces under the command of Col. Benedict Arnold, who renamed it the USS Enterprise. The ship served during the Revolutionary War but was set ablaze in 1777 to prevent it from being recaptured. Over the next two centuries, a series of ships bearing the name Enterprise would serve in the U.S. Navy, with the last two gaining significant fame. The USS Enterprise commissioned in 1938 was an aircraft carrier and the most decorated ship of World War II, while the USS Enterprise commissioned in 1961 was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
When Star Trek was being developed in the mid-1960s, the name Enterprise was already a well-known and respected term in the U.S. It served as the inspiration for the ship Captain Kirk would command. However, as the show's popularity grew, the significance of the name took on a much larger cultural meaning.
In 1974, NASA began constructing its first space shuttle, initially naming it Constitution (although it was intended to be an experimental craft and would never leave Earth's atmosphere). However, following a large letter-writing campaign, NASA changed the shuttle's name to Enterprise in 1976 when it was publicly unveiled in Palmdale, California. Several Star Trek actors, along with creator Gene Roddenberry, attended the ceremony.
Virgin Galactic's VSS Enterprise, the first SpaceShipTwo spaceplane, had its maiden flight in October 2010. It was named in tribute to Star Trek, but unlike its fictional counterpart, it didn't have a long lifespan, crashing four years later due to a premature descent system deployment.
The U.S. Navy is currently constructing a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, once again named USS Enterprise. This new ship, set to launch in 2025, will replace the older vessel, which was decommissioned in 2017. It's almost certain that Captain Kirk will be toasted more than the historically controversial Colonel Arnold during the ship's ceremony.
9. The NASA/Star Trek Connection
Since NASA embraced the mid-1970s letter-writing campaign to rename their first shuttle Enterprise, a unique partnership has developed between the space agency and Star Trek's influence. It seems as if the show's widespread popularity has helped shape NASA's vision as it explores the cosmos, and the agency fully embraces this collaboration.
After penning articles in magazines urging the inclusion of minorities and women in the space program, Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura) was invited by NASA to assist with recruitment. This collaboration lasted from 1977 through the 1980s, and Nichols' efforts were incredibly successful. One of her recruits was Dr. Sally Ride, who became the first American woman to reach space. Ride would also have a Federation starship named in her honor—the USS (Sally) Ride—at least in the Star Trek: Discovery universe. This is just one of the many examples of Starfleet themes crossing over into NASA's initiatives.
The fact is, many NASA employees grew up watching Star Trek, and the show greatly influenced the career paths they later chose. As a result, it's not uncommon to see pop culture references throughout the agency. For instance, in 1993, the crew of the shuttle Endeavour posed for a photograph dressed in Starfleet uniforms, with one crew member offering the Vulcan salute. In 2012, when the shuttle Enterprise arrived at JFK Airport on its way to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Leonard Nimoy (Spock) was there to reciprocate the gesture. American astronauts often pose in Star Trek uniforms for public events, although in 2014, when William Shatner received NASA's Distinguished Public Service Medal, he opted for a cowboy hat and jeans instead.
In 2010, when the Space Shuttle Discovery delivered the new Window Observational Research Facility to the International Space Station, the crew wore mission patches featuring letters from the fictional Klingon language. When someone at NASA realized that the project's acronym—WORF—also referenced the Klingon character portrayed by Michael Dorn, they couldn't resist incorporating the name in Klingon on their patches.
The most astonishing display of Star Trek’s influence on NASA might be the IXS Enterprise, a conceptual starship designed to achieve warp drive. Using CGI, the ship is modeled to resemble the TV Enterprise with design elements of the space shuttle, but with two warp rings surrounding it. It's incredible to think that engineers who grew up watching Star Trek are now designing starships that will someday operate and resemble those of Starfleet. It's truly mind-blowing!
8. Mobile Devices
While the origins of individual cellphones can be traced back to technologies like car phones and pagers—gadgets that predate the Star Trek franchise by at least 20 years—the handheld communicators used by the crew of the Enterprise played an undeniable role in the development of modern mobile phones. Martin Cooper from Motorola, who led the team that created the first portable cellphone in 1973, has confessed that part of his inspiration came from watching Captain Kirk speak into his device. Although Cooper also mentioned that Dick Tracy's wrist radio influenced him, manufacturers in the '90s began designing phones that closely resembled the ones Kirk used.
The first-ever flip phone, the Motorola StarTAC, was released in 1996. Coincidence? Cingular didn’t seem to think so, as they launched the HTC Startrek in 2006, not even attempting to hide the reference. Of course, the iPhone was introduced the following year, revolutionizing the design of mobile phones. Still, flip phones continue to have a loyal following, with users relishing the experience of channeling Kirk whenever they make a call.
Smartphones with large touchscreens—particularly iPhones and Androids—quickly became dominant after their introduction, with the technology being expanded to tablets early on. iPad users might feel as though they are channeling Captain Jean-Luc Picard each time they use their device. On Star Trek: The Next Generation and other shows set in that era, crew members used rectangular personal devices with touch screens of various sizes. These gadgets were introduced on television a full two decades before the iPad was launched by Apple.
In the past, you may have enjoyed listening to MP3s on your tablet—digital audio files invented by Karlheinz Brandenburg after watching an episode of The Next Generation, where Data (played by Brent Spiner) used the computer to play music.
This kind of inspiration wasn’t exclusive to mobile devices. The first personal computer—the MITS Altair 8800, released in 1975—is believed to have been named after a star featured in the Star Trek episode 'Amok Time' from The Original Series. It was also the perfect platform for playing a text-based game called Star Trek... though you had to be incredibly patient as the game took forever to load.
7. The Thingamabob in Uhura’s Ear
Communications Officer Lt. Uhura was undeniably fashionable, sporting groovy green hoop earrings, an impeccable hairdo (unless the ship was under attack), chic boots, and a cute lipstick-red mini-dress. Her nails were always polished, her eyes sparkled, and she had the graceful legs of a ballerina. Yet, she sat at her post every day with an unattractive metal device in her ear, something that looked as if it had fallen out of the Engineering department—and surely should have been returned to Scotty without delay!
Her earpiece was actually a wireless receiver linked to the ship’s computer, offering her the freedom to move around while keeping tabs on signals and messages. The Original Series featured plenty of wireless tech, from subspace communication to real-time viewscreen transmissions. Even the transporter system could be seen as a highly intricate form of wireless data.
In the '60s, when the show was airing, much of what we now consider to be wireless technology was still in its infancy. If you asked a typical American to point out something wireless at home, they might have pointed to a transistor radio, perhaps the television (uncertain whether the power cord counted), or possibly the kids’ walkie-talkies. Today, we take for granted the constant presence of wireless signals around us that help us communicate, entertain, and navigate to our destinations. But back then, this technology was revolutionary—and, well, pretty far out!
We are now completely reliant on wireless communication. From WiFi signals and hotspots to radio frequencies, cellphone networks, WANs, MANs, and LANs, we are constantly surrounded by these signals, often overlapping and interfering with one another, especially in busy areas. And as if that wasn’t enough, we also make use of PANs (personal area networks) like Bluetooth, which sends our music and phone calls directly to our earpieces. This makes it easy to shout our private conversations on elevators, in restrooms, at the gym, and on public transport, potentially disturbing fellow passengers blasting music from their radio apps...
Maybe Uhura’s clunky earpiece wasn’t such an eyesore after all.
6. Synthehol
While Captain Kirk’s Enterprise crew indulged in real alcohol, Captain Picard’s crew opted for synthehol. The beverage Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) served in Ten-Forward had been specially formulated to prevent hangovers, excessive intoxication, and illness, all while maintaining a taste similar to the real thing. Wouldn't it be amazing if we had such drinks in the real world? Maybe we won’t have to wait long to find out...
David Nutt, a scientist from England, has spent years trying to create an alcohol substitute and might have finally succeeded. Initially called alcosynth (a nod to synthehol), the new substance has now been renamed Alcarelle. It’s a synthetic compound that targets specific GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors in the brain, mimicking the effects of alcohol without its harmful side effects. Alcarelle doesn’t cause hangovers, and its long-term use won’t damage the liver. The substance is still in development, but GABALabs plans to sell it to companies that will use it to create drinks for the public.
GABALabs is targeting a 2025 launch for Alcarelle in the UK, hoping it’ll catch on, especially in Scotland, where alcohol is an integral part of the culture. But wasn’t it Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (James Doohan) who once exclaimed, “What in blazes is this!” upon his first taste of synthehol aboard Picard’s Enterprise? The team at GABALabs has acknowledged that Alcarelle doesn’t have the best taste on its own and will need to be mixed with juice to make it enjoyable. Good luck with that, guys.
5. Space Burial
When Starfleet officers perish in the line of duty, they’re often placed in a photon torpedo and launched into space, where they’ll either burn up during re-entry into a planet’s atmosphere or continue their journey through the endless expanse of space. As humanity ventures farther into the cosmos, real astronauts will one day have to address the reality of death in space. Space burials may become necessary for long missions to distant stars.
Interestingly, the very first space burial was that of Gene Roddenberry, the visionary creator of Star Trek, though it was largely ceremonial. After Roddenberry passed away in 1991, a portion of his ashes was sent into space aboard the shuttle Columbia in 1992, although they were returned to Earth with the shuttle.
James Doohan, known for his portrayal of Scotty, also made his mark in space after his death. Doohan’s character inspired many to pursue careers in engineering. After his passing in 2005, a portion of his ashes was sent into space in 2007 on the SpaceLoft XL rocket, where they spent four minutes in orbit. In 2008, Doohan's ashes made two more trips into space: first aboard the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket, which failed to reach orbit, and later that year, with Richard Garriott, a private astronaut, who smuggled Doohan’s remains onto the International Space Station during his 12-day mission. Doohan’s son, Chris Doohan, claims his father’s ashes are still aboard the ISS, hidden beneath the floor. In 2012, another portion of Doohan’s remains successfully flew on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for a nine-day mission.
And guess what? Yet another portion of James Doohan's ashes is slated to travel into space in 2022, aboard a Celestis Memorial Spaceflight—the inaugural flight of the Voyager Service, which will carry passengers whose final journey will not include a return to Earth. Dubbed the "Enterprise Flight," this mission will see Doohan reunited with the ashes of Gene Roddenberry and his wife Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the iconic figures from Star Trek. Majel, who passed away in 2008, portrayed several roles, including Number One, Nurse Christine Chapel, and Lwaxana Troi. The three Star Trek legends, along with other passengers, will fly past the moon, using its gravitational pull to catapult them beyond the solar system and into the vast, unexplored expanse of deep space—territory never before traversed by human remains.
4. Virtual Reality
Gene Dolgoff, CEO of Holobeam Technologies Inc., has been a trailblazer in holography and 3D imaging since the 1960s, inventing holographic transfer printing for credit cards in 1971. One of the standout moments in his career came in 1973 when he met with Gene Roddenberry and his wife Majel. Dolgoff explained the mechanics of holograms and their potential impact on the future of entertainment and engineering. Roddenberry was particularly intrigued by the concept of 'matter holograms' and the idea of entire rooms forming a 'holographic environment,' a notion that would later be featured in the Star Trek universe on The Animated Series, just one year later.
The Animated Series may have been the least popular of the canonical Star Trek shows, often dismissed both then and now. The series faced its fair share of criticism, from the absence of Chekov to the introduction of a feline character that seemed more suited to a Hanna-Barbera cartoon. The bizarre plotlines and frequent animation errors, like miscolored uniforms, didn’t help its case. Yet, in the second season's short-lived episode 'The Practical Joker,' a room capable of creating holographic environments, called the recreation room, was introduced. After the show’s cancellation, the concept wouldn’t resurface until thirteen years later.
In September 1987, Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered, and Picard’s Enterprise still featured that same holographic recreation room, albeit with a new name: the 'holodeck.' This room became central to multiple episodes, offering an immersive form of off-duty entertainment. Of course, Quark from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would eventually capitalize on this technology, renting out holosuites for profit—a classic move for a Ferengi.
Much like how a generation of NASA astronauts grew up captivated by Captain Kirk’s Enterprise, today’s virtual reality developers and engineers were influenced by Picard’s holodeck. In fact, the direction VR is taking is largely shaped by that vision. But how close are we to achieving this reality? While we have virtual gaming, flight simulators, engineering software, simulated vacations, and virtual house tours, the question remains: how soon will holodecks become a fixture in our homes, similar to the one aboard the Enterprise?
One of the biggest hurdles in developing a true holodeck experience is creating a fully immersive, sensory environment without the need for a headset. In other words, rather than strapping on VR gear, the 'holomatter' would surround us—engaging our eyes, ears, noses, and fingertips. Although many tech companies suggest we’re almost there, plenty of skeptics argue that such a level of virtual reality may never come to fruition. The technology behind a television-style holodeck seems as theoretical as time travel and defies the laws of physics. But let’s remember: this version of the holodeck originated in a Saturday morning cartoon. And do we really want virtual experiences that mirror those from Star Trek, where reality could be far more appealing than our own? After all, we’d never want to leave the simulation!
Despite the many obstacles, Gene Dolgoff, the pioneer behind these ideas, remains optimistic about the potential for real-life holodecks. He even suggests that 'matter holograms' could eventually lead to transporter technology—where a holographic version of a person is created to replace someone 'transporting' from another location. This, of course, brings with it a host of ethical concerns, particularly around how to 'destroy' the original individual once their likeness is scanned, replicated, and transferred elsewhere. But let's move on...
3. Where No Nonagenarian Has Gone Before
On October 13, 2021, at the age of 90, William Shatner made history by flying into space aboard Blue Origin’s pilotless New Shepard rocket, alongside three other passengers: microbiologist Glen de Vries, entrepreneur Chris Boshuizen, and Blue Origin VP of flight operations Audrey Powers. They experienced zero gravity for roughly three minutes before returning to Earth at a gentle 2 mph. Upon exiting the spacecraft, Shatner was greeted by Jeff Bezos, to whom he exclaimed, 'It was so moving to me.' He added, 'I hope I never recover from this. I hope I can maintain what I feel now. I don’t want to lose it.'
De Vries made an intriguing comment to reporters, likening Shatner's space journey to 'the ultimate manifestation of science fiction becoming science.' As our space technologies continue to evolve, this trip could ultimately symbolize Star Trek's lasting influence on modern space exploration, whether by NASA, the USSF, or private enterprises. After all, Bezos has openly acknowledged that Star Trek inspired the creation of Blue Origin, and, of course, Shatner flew for free during this remarkable flight.
George Takei, who portrayed Ensign Sulu, didn't hold back in his criticism, suggesting that Shatner was an unsuitable candidate for the role of guinea pig. But perhaps the most striking comment from Takei was: 'He's boldly going where other people have gone before.'
Takei’s words hold true. When Star Trek debuted in 1966, only a select few had earned the title of astronaut or cosmonaut, and space exploration was limited to two countries. In the five and a half decades since, humanity has reached new heights—landing on the moon, launching space shuttles, constructing the International Space Station, and witnessing the rise of commercial space tourism. By 2021, astronauts from 42 different nations had ventured into space, with approximately 600 individuals earning that prestigious title (though this number fluctuates due to varying criteria for space altitude and differing definitions of 'astronaut' versus 'passenger').
Indeed, countless men and women have journeyed to space before, but Shatner, at the age of 90, holds the title of the oldest person to make the trip. His achievement alone deserves recognition. And what a poignant moment it must be for William Shatner, who first ventured into space as Captain Kirk at 35, to now experience the real-life wonders of space at the age of 90, a remarkable 55 years later.
2. The United States Space Force
On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump officially established the United States Space Force, creating a new branch of the military that had been in the works within the Air Force since the 1940s. A month later, when the agency unveiled its official seal, the resemblance to Starfleet Command's seal left many in awe. The internet quickly filled with side-by-side comparisons, but the truth is that the delta symbol (the arrowhead) has been used by the Air Force for its early space program since 1961. In this case, it seems Star Trek borrowed the delta symbol first, though the USSF has also drawn from its design.
Despite being a new agency, the USSF seems to be having fun with Star Trek references, similar to NASA. The Space Operations Command within the USSF is affectionately abbreviated as SpOC, which sounds strikingly similar to 'Spock.' They also named their new tracking program 'Kobayashi Maru,' after the infamous training simulation that James T. Kirk once outwitted. However, unlike NASA, where many scientists grew up watching Star Trek, the Space Force is made up of military officers, which significantly shapes how the two agencies will evolve and collaborate.
Many of NASA's astronauts, an organization traditionally focused on peaceful space exploration, have come from military backgrounds, while the USSF is a fully-fledged branch of the Armed Forces. Although the mission of the starship Enterprise—to 'explore strange new worlds' and 'seek out new life and new civilizations'—sounds like a peaceful one, the ship was equipped with phasers and photon torpedoes, and its crew carried phaser pistols. NASA and the USSF have already worked out protocols for navigating space together, given that their territories overlap. But could a collaboration between peaceful exploration and an arsenal of high-tech weaponry work in real-life missions? It sure did on TV.
Only time will reveal if the eagle can truly soar alongside the dove...
1. Star Trek References Exist Everywhere
Star Trek references, both obvious and subtle, have seamlessly woven themselves into the fabric of American life since the immense popularity of The Original Series in syndication. They have become a part of our everyday language, imagery, and expression, frequently appearing in advertising and music, influencing the way we think, speak, and navigate our daily experiences.
Numerous phrases from Star Trek have either originated on the show or gained widespread popularity through association, such as 'landing party,' 'class M planet,' 'warp speed,' and 'make it so.' Terms like 'tribbles,' 'transporters,' 'the prime directive,' and 'food replicators' transcend generations, while words like 'stardate,' 'redshirt,' 'phaser,' and 'tricorder' are now ingrained in pop culture. Expressions such as 'Vulcan mind-meld,' 'Alpha Quadrant,' 'universal translator,' and of course, 'beam me up' are universally understood. Star Trek has also given us iconic fill-in-the-blank lines: 'I’m a doctor, not a ___!' and 'where no ___ has gone before!'
Star Trek's visual style is also deeply embedded in our culture. The design of the bridge, along with the cuts and colors of the uniforms, has been frequently used in comedic TV sketches (think SNL and Family Guy). Shows like The Big Bang Theory and Futurama are peppered with Star Trek references in nearly every episode. Popular music genres, too, have incorporated shout-outs to Trekkies with songs like '99 Red Balloons' by Nena, 'Californication' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 'Intergalactic' by The Beastie Boys, and 'Beach House on the Moon' by Jimmy Buffett. Ariana Grande mischievously used the sound of the red-alert klaxon in her song 'Problem,' and the band Information Society featured Leonard Nimoy's voice in their hit 'What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy).'
One of the earliest Star Trek-inspired commercials possibly aired in 1969, when a Vulcan disguised as a Klingon appeared to demonstrate the wonders of Cheer laundry detergent to a confused mother. Since then, Star Trek references have appeared in ads for everything from Samsung and MCI to Pizza Hut and Twizzlers. In 2012, an IKEA commercial featured an instrumental from 'Amok Time' (The Original Series), and in 2016, Andorian aliens promoted Mexican avocados in a Super Bowl ad. This approach has proven to be hugely popular across print, TV, radio, and internet advertising. The Ferengi would surely be proud of how lucrative the fictional universe they inhabit has become in the real world.
