https://www.cnet.com/news/han-solo-star-wars-story-blaster-isnt-science-fiction/

The release this week of "Solo: A Star Wars Story" expands the universe of the science fiction franchise yet again, but the title character's signature weapon is possible using real-world science. 

Han Solo's handheld blaster pistol is often misunderstood to be some sort of laser gun, but this class of weapon in the Star Wars canon actually uses plasma energy. Plasma is basically very hot gas often considered to be the fourth state of matter (along with solid, liquids and gases). It's found in space, but not so much on Earth, except where it can be created in a lab.