Today and for decades, science fiction is a popular genre. It allows one to free oneself from physical and temporal limits, and sometimes anticipates the future in a utopian or dystopian way. In doing so, science fiction encourages us to question the present and explores the major social questions of our time.
Science fiction works, there is something for everyone. If this genre is particularly popular, it is because it takes us far from our daily lives. But just because it’s a science fiction film doesn’t mean we have to accept everything. Some footage is so unrealistic that it is enough to make scientists laugh (or cry).
In 2011, NASA hosted a meeting at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The purpose of the latter? Let scientists draw up their list of the best and worst science fiction films in their eyes.
What is the best science fiction film according to NASA?
Among all the works of science fiction that exist, there are some that are more or less plausible. According to NASA experts, the feature film 2012 wins the award for worst science fiction film. While the Mayan calendar predicted the destruction of the Earth on December 21, 2012, many people feared the end of the world. It was enough to make Hollywood and director Roland Emmerich dream. Thus, released in 2009, the film 2012 is based on the “forecasts” of the Mayans and imagines the end of the world in 2012. In this film, neutrinos from a solar flare heat the earth’s core, which causes the end of the world. From a scientific point of view, this is completely impossible since neutrinos pass directly through matter. Therefore, 2012 is the least plausible science fiction film in the eyes of scientists. Among the “flops”, NASA also points the finger The Core And Armageddon.
But are there any science fiction films that have found favor in the eyes of NASA? Yes of course. Thus, scientists believe that films Contract And Metropolis are completely realistic. But the most plausible film according to NASA is Welcome to Gattacareleased in 1997. Starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law, the feature film directed by Andrew Niccol (director of Time Out and screenwriter of The Truman Show) has attracted scientists.
Welcome to Gattaca immerses us in a “perfect” futuristic world where everyone can choose the genotype of the children. By mastering genetics in this way, individuals see their destiny predetermined even before their birth. Gattaca is a center of space studies and research for young people with impeccable genetic heritage. While Jérôme, an ideal candidate, sees his life destroyed by an accident, Vincent, an illegitimate child, dreams of leaving for space. The two characters will have to help each other and thwart the laws of Gattaca to get what they want.
According to NASA, the scenario of Welcome to Gattaca is credible and entirely possible in the fairly near future. Despite many ethical questions, eugenics is a real hot topic. In 2018, twin girls were born in China. Nothing alarming, except that their genome had been altered to give them resistance to HIV infection. Chinese biologist He Jankui was sentenced to three years in prison. More recently, the startup Heliospect Genomics offers wealthy couples the opportunity to select their embryos based on their IQ…
