A CATALYST is anything that causes or speeds up an event. I am a long-time Star Trek fan. Apparently SAT test writers are also Star Trek fans! A recent vocabulary in context question pointed out that the Star Trek television series served as a CATALYST for such technological innovations as smartphones, touchscreens, and universal translators. Will Star Trek serve as a CATALYST for warp drive speeds and transporters? I hope so!
CATALYST – a person or thing that causes an event