h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Actually, scientists have made a (very) small warp drive. What this entails is the use of powerful electromagnets (and such) to bend and warp space so that the area in front of the drive is compressed (warped) to make the distance between the drive and it's destination appear shorter than it actually is. The power needed to make a life size working model, actually move a ship would be astronomical, though. See Einstein, Relativity theory of.

Also, scientists in Wales (I know, Wales!) have managed to teleport the first molecule from one side of a building to another. The process is complicated (to say the least) but involves copying the molecule as you scan it (because molecules are changed irrevocably once scanned) and then reforming it using available matter. Again, you would need an enormous computer to scan, calculate relative positions of molecules etc, etc before anything bigger than a single molecule can be transported. However, if the theory about computers becoming more powerful exponentially is true, then it can't be that far away.

Others have designed and built a prototype laser device that fires a harmless laser beam at a person. When the laser beam reaches it's intended target the marks(wo)man presses another trigger sending a wave of powerful electricity *down* the laser beam. The amount of electricty transmitted can be varied causing unconciousness or death, as required. Similar in execution (though not in technology) to phasers.

Tractor beams are possible as people are just beginning to learn how to manipulate the gravitic energy of molecules.

And there are now very small amounts of man-made anti-matter in various countries around the world. The power held within these small amounts could destroy our solar system if made into an anti-matter bomb. This is quite frightening.

What's scary is the reckless abandon with which the people on Star Trek throw antimatter around. Seems just a little dangerous to me!