The most scientifically accurate SciFi Film or TV Series

[G. Fieendish]

the anime starship operators has some nice science bits

the battles take place over hours/days/weeks

lasers don't blow stuff up but are used to overheat the hull

most of the fight takes place in the beforehand with endless computer simulations taking into acceleration, turning speeds etc

notice in the showers about the coriolis force in the rotating part of the ship

Gunbuster...?
For the moment, I could argue for Babylon 5, as being fairly realistic in regads to scientific accruacy....

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

aim for the top (gunbuster) does have the relativity of time plot.... but errrrr it's not that scientifically accurate in other areas

inazuma kick!

onee-sama!!!!!!!

 

[dervish]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the Babylon 5 designers were asked for the specs of the Starfury ships as they were the most effective shape.

Mentioned here

 

[HAL9000]

Problem with Babylon 5 and star trek is that they can communicate across the galaxy but are unable to have robotic and remote controlled space ships. Its almost as if the actors union has had a hand in writing the scripts far too many people involved in dangerous situations.

Plus robot space ships can take a few more g's than a human can.

Abyss is quite good with a chance that "perfluorocarbon emulsion" might become more wide spread for blood substitution and people with damaged lungs.

2001, no noise in space and HAL9000 is excellent . But its far too slow.

 

[HAL9000]

What about MacGyver ? (some science required to make bombs)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_problems_solved_by_MacGyver

The only episode i can remember was a really complicated bomb on a ship which was basicly a remake of this film.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071706/

 

[Detroit City]

Problem with Babylon 5 and star trek is that they can communicate across the galaxy but are unable to have robotic and remote controlled space ships. Its almost as if the actors union has had a hand in writing the scripts far too many people involved in dangerous situations.

now that would be great fun for the viewing audience....a robotic ship with no crew

 

[HAL9000]

True robot ships could be dull.

Have you read books by Ian M Banks, plenty of entertainment from ships controlled by AI's called minds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_(The_Culture)

Even if the robot crews meant no humans where at risk, the bad guys might launch terrorist action back on earth to discourage such militaristic adventures.

Quite a lot sci fi is a reflection of what happens on earth.

HG Wells "War of the worlds" was another way of looking at the British empire

Iain M. Banks "Consider Phlebas". Rehash of the Japanese actions in the 2nd world war.

 

[Detroit City]

Quite a lot sci fi is a reflection of what happens on earth.

well of course...what other reference point do we have?

 

[povmcdov]

I vote for "The Andromeda Strain". The apparatus in the lab in that film was the real deal borrowed from the manufacturers in a lot of cases. Obviously the basic premise was a load of hokum - crystaline lifeforms? pah! Overall it was fairly convincing though.


One disturbing thing is the scene where animals are being exposed to the disease. They "die" in a very very convincing way. I'm actually pretty sure they were actually being put under with a flurane based anaesthetic gas or CO2. The giveaway is the pawing at the eyes showing irritation by a gas.

edit: IMDB says it is so. supposedly it was Co2 and the monkey recovered. Imagine the outcry if someone did that today for a film!

 

[Detroit City]

I vote for "The Andromeda Strain". .

thats one that many forget about, excellent flick

would Soylent Green with Charleston Heston be considered scifi? that was a fairly realistic movie about the future

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I liked Fantastic Voyage....a journey in a tiny submarine inside a human body....decades since I saw it though, maybe it was crap.....

 

[Detroit City]

I liked Fantastic Voyage....a journey in a tiny submarine inside a human body....decades since I saw it though, maybe it was crap.....

oh yea a bunch of scientific nerdy dudes locked up inside a sub with Racquel Welch.....that's realistic

 

[boohoo]

Queen Of Outer Space - proving that with much training, a woman can run around with heels on and point a gun and look beautiful... an amazing feat of science.

 

[kyser_soze]

Quite a lot sci fi is a reflection of what happens on earth.

All the best sci-fi will take both existing science/tech/theory and couple it with strong social commentary - writers (cos unfortunately it's still only written sci-fi that does this, even with the likes of BSG) like Adam Roberts, China Mielville, Reynolds etc. Even Banks doesn't come into this cateogry - I love The Culture books but the science isn't just an extrapolation of what we've got today, but then what he writes about the actual society and it's people makes up for it.

 

[A Dashing Blade]

So which films or series actually stand out for making the effort and getting some physics right for a change?

Destination Moon : 1950. Significant input from Robert Heinlein who wanted the physics to be spot on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destination_Moon_(film)