Laser sounds like this became a staple of online editing because they are instantly readable without any context or dialogue. Short zap effects are borrowed from the language of classic sci-fi games and cartoons, where a single electronic blast signals a weapon firing, a teleport, or a power activating. Creators reuse the same short clip across memes, gameplay montages, and short form videos because it is easy to sync, easy to recognize, and works even on mute-adjacent edits where the visual needs extra punch.