Gene Roddenberry devotees, I need some help!?

I have a friend who believes that what Gene Roddenberry wrote in his Star Trek books/movies was pure fantasy without scientific basis. It is my understanding that Roddenberry consulted with many scientists and astrophysists regarding the feasability of someday developing technology like that presented in the Star Trek series. Can anyone tell me where I might find information to back me up?

There was a show on either Science or Discovery channel that was two hours long. There as several episodes of Star Tech that explained a lot, too. Much of the things in the original Star Trek series is now a variation of common modern technology. The communicators used in the original series are similar to cellular flip phones of today. Characters in the original show would put a small tape-like thing into the computer and a video would be displayed on the monitor. These tapes reminded me of cassette tapes when they first came out (after Star Trek). Then, Beta and VHS video tapes came on the scene. Remember Kirk going to a "box", pushing a few buttons and getting a hot cup of coffee or chicken soup? Could this have been a variation of the modern microwave? (Scientists have been working with microwaves since the 1940s or 1950s.) The Star Tech type shows indicated that the transporter was an alternative to eliminate landing the extremely large Enterprise on a planet's surface every episode. It was clearly stated that currently, transporter technology is nonexistant and many feel that it may never be developed. As with the microwaves, experiments with the laser has been going on long before Star Trek; could Star Trek's "phaser" be based on a laser beam which is in use today? I'm not sure when the anti-matter theory was introduced, however, I have heard that the theory is solidifying. There are a number of books on Star Trek and the subject matter you are asking about. Check out your library or Boarder's. I remember seeing publications covering most everything from the uniforms to the blueprints for the Enterprise.