2 To Ramble

Does Science Fiction Need to be Accurate? | 2 To Ramble #300

Jan 16, 2026
The hosts dive into the intriguing debate over whether science fiction needs to be accurate. They explore how proximity to today's technology impacts plausibility, defining hard sci-fi versus sci-fantasy, and examining the societal implications of tech in stories. Citing influential authors, they discuss subgenres and how certain works have predicted real-world advancements. The balance of realism and imagination takes center stage as they analyze audience expectations and the reflective nature of sci-fi compared to the immersive qualities of fantasy.
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INSIGHT

Accuracy Scales With Proximity To Today

  • The closer a story is to modern-day reality, the more scientifically accurate it should be.
  • The farther removed the setting, the more freedom authors have to be loose with science.
INSIGHT

Get Domain Details Right For Your Audience

  • Readers who know a field notice and are pulled out by errors in that domain.
  • Sci‑fi should at least respect the expectations of its target audience to maintain immersion.
ANECDOTE

Jurassic Park's Plausible Twist

  • Austin likes Jurassic Park because it takes a real scientific idea and plausibly twists it.
  • The mosquito DNA explanation helps justify why the dinosaurs look different from modern paleontology.
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