10 TV Shows That Got Science Completely Wrong
6. Phazers - Star Trek
Before you ask, yes, it is a losing battle to scream "that would never happen!!!" at a scientific inaccuracy in a science fiction show. Especially when said inaccuracy ISN'T about the weird lack of an internet of any kind in its world. But indulge your scribe for just a bit.
Now one of the most common elements in Star Trek, from the beginning, was the fact that the crews of each show's ship didn't immediately resort to killing, instead often ordering "set phazers to stun".
The problem here, of course, being that that isn't how weaponized light works.
Do you have any idea how powerful, how freaking HOT, a laser has to be for it to be actively visible as you're firing it? In fact, scientists have theorized that - regardless of what setting you have your phazer on - were it to make contact with a human body, that human body would just straight up explode.
"Hard science-fiction" indeed. Show me a Star Trek show with at least one blood splatter per episode, and then we'll talk.