60th anniversary From vision to reality: five surprising facts about the influence of 'Star Trek'
Even before smartphones became cool, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) was already using them to communicate.
Image: CBS
Cult figure Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) shows the "Vulcan salute".
Image: © 1966 Paramount Television
"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is the name of the latest series from the Star Trek universe.
Image: Paramount+
Even before smartphones became cool, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) was already using them to communicate.
Image: CBS
Cult figure Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) shows the "Vulcan salute".
Image: © 1966 Paramount Television
"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is the name of the latest series from the Star Trek universe.
Image: Paramount+
On its 60th anniversary, the "Star Trek" universe is being further expanded. The cult series not only influences pop culture, but also technological innovations - such as the cell phone. blue News shows you five surprising facts about the universe.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- 60 years ago, the first episode of "Star Trek" flickered across the screen.
- Due to poor ratings, the US broadcaster NBC wanted to cancel the series. Fans protested loudly.
- Today, the franchise comprises 14 films and over 10 series with a total of more than 900 episodes. New ones are added every year - such as the current "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy".
- The series is regarded as a source of ideas for technological developments and has also had a strong influence on pop culture.
"Star Trek" has long been a pop culture phenomenon. Fans learn the Klingon language, which was created by a linguist especially for the series.
A specially created dictionary was published in 1986. The exotic language can now also be learned on language apps.
But the series is also said to have served as inspiration for numerous technological ideas.
Many technologies from Star Trek became reality - only beaming (still) remains a dream
"Star Trek" is regarded as an idea exchange for technological developments. Many objects that appear in the series are part of our everyday lives today. Captain Kirk's original fold-out communicator, for example, is considered an early inspiration for the cell phone. The mobile phone manufacturer Motorola launched the world's first flip phone 30 years after the series was released and called it StarTAC. Other manufacturers also claim to have been inspired by "Star Trek".
In a talk with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the late Apple boss Steve Jobs discusses the significance of "Star Trek" for the tech industry.
In the 'Star Trek' film, Captain Kirk wears the communicator on his wrist like a watch.
Thanks to artificial intelligence, real-time communication without language barriers has now also become a reality. In the series, humans communicate with various aliens using devices that translate their language in a matter of seconds. Thanks to tools such as ChatGPT, communicating with computers is also part of everyday life.
Beaming has its origins in the series: it was invented for cost reasons, as elaborate shuttle landings were too expensive. Although the technology is theoretically conceivable, it currently fails due to the enormous amount of energy required, explains physics professor and author Metin Tolan in his book "Der Weltraum. Infinite expanses.".
Volcanic greeting
The splayed double-finger V-greeting made television history and is now an integral part of pop culture. The iconic hand gesture has its origins in Judaism: it represents the Hebrew letter "Shin" and goes back to a Jewish blessing ritual, as Spock actor Leonard Nimoy revealed in interviews.
The inspiration for the hand sign came from a formative religious experience in his childhood. The Jewish Orthodox TV legend attended a special ceremony as an eight-year-old. The ritual of the Aaronite priestly blessing impressed him so much that he later adopted the gesture for "Star Trek".
Before his death in 2015, Leonard Nimoy suffered from arthritis. As a result, the actor was no longer able to perform the Vulcan salute without pain. Nimoy communicated this and also used the information for an advertising deal with Bayer. In the commercial, he demonstrates that painkillers help him to continue giving his iconic hand signal.
Incidentally, the Vulcan greeting has also been available as an emoji for some time now: 🖖🏻
Fun fact: Zachary Quinto, who plays the young Spock in the reboot, was unable to make the gesture. As a result, the director taped the actor's fingers together for the Vulcan salute.
Stepping stones and missed roles: how "Star Trek" shaped careers
"Star Trek" served as a springboard for a career in Hollywood. Numerous future international stars made brief appearances in the series, including the then 11-year-old Kirsten Dunst and Dwayne Johnson. The actor played a fighter without a name. British actor Tom Hardy also made an appearance and showed off his skills as a villain.
The famous physicist Stephen Hawking made a guest appearance, playing himself. In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode, he plays a round of poker together with the android Data (Brent Spiner) and the historical figures Albert Einstein (Jim Norton) and Isaac Newton (John Neville) - and emerges victorious.
Lieutenant Uhura, played by Nichelle Nichols, was a member of the first Enterprise's command crew along with Captain Kirk(William Shatner). As the only woman in this position, she became an important role model for many women in the USA. When Nichols wanted to leave the series, she is said to have been personally encouraged to continue by civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.
In the 2009 reboot of the "Star Trek" film series, Uhura was played by Oscar winner and "Avatar" superstar Zoë Saldaña.
There were rumors surrounding the reboot that Matt Damon would take on the role of James T. Kirk. The Jason Bourne actor turned down the offer. Instead, the role went to Chris Pine, who gained international attention as a result.
Iconic moments and scenes
One of the most iconic moments in "Star Trek" history is the kiss between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols). The scene is from the episode "Plato's Stepchildren", which aired on November 22, 1968 - in the middle of a time of intense civil rights movements.
The moment had enormous social explosive power: it was broadcast just one year after the US Supreme Court ruling that allowed marriages between people of different skin colors.
At first glance, it seems more awkward than heroic: the fight scene between Captain Kirk and the Gorn in the 1960s Star Trek episode "Arena". The opponent moves sluggishly, the choreography seems almost parodic from today's perspective. And yet this scene is one of the most iconic moments in television history.
The reason lies less in the staging than in its effect. The scene is a symbol of the early days of science fiction on television - characterized by a limited budget and simple special effects.
Success at the second attempt
It is hard to believe that the series was canceled by US broadcaster NBC after three seasons with a total of 79 episodes (1966 to 1969) due to poor ratings. However, protests from science fiction fans led to the series being continued. It was not until the second attempt that it became a success story.
When Patrick Stewart was cast for the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek", he initially did not believe it would be a success and thought that a reboot of such an iconic series made no sense.
Today, however, the "Star Trek" universe continues to delight fans around the world. The franchise now comprises 14 films and over 10 series with a total of more than 900 episodes. More are added every year. Just in time for the 60th anniversary, Paramount+ is launching another franchise. "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" focuses on a group of young students at Starfleet Academy.
The new series is available on Paramount+ (in the blue SuperMax package).
