Existing comment:
Star Trek Phaser.
"Star Trek," originally broadcast on NBC between 1966 and 1969, was an extremely popular science fiction television series. Its popularity resulted from its ability to deal with current issues in American life, especially themes related to the Cold War.
Because a hallmark of science fiction is the representation of future technology, this phaser weapon was one of "Star Trek's" most significant props. It is an incarnation of the classic ray gun from early science-fiction books and movies.
-- Courtesy of the National Museum of American History, gift of Paul Arthur Scheeler, 1987. |