Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness/World of Phlebotinum: Difference between revisions

* The ''[[Lensman]]'' novels: A classic [[Pulp Magazine|pulp]] SF series, which originated the trope of [[Space Police]] armed with [[Green Lantern Ring|incredibly powerful and flexible weapons]], and arguably, the whole [[Space Opera]] genre. Lensmen had intertialess drives, habitable gas giants (with surfaces you could land on)... it was pretty soft even when the first stories were published (in the 1930s), and since then, the [[Science Marches On]]march of science has made hash out of most of its assumptions. However, it is remarkably self-consistent, and it did pay respect to basic scientific principles - the FTL drive only suspended inertia, which returned when the drive was turned off. Space combat takes place in 3D. Rayguns didn't cause objects (or people) to magically vanish, but simply delivered enough energy to melt or boil them.

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'': A lot of the [[Applied Phlebotinum]] in this series involves branches of biology and engineering that neither exist in real life nor are ever likely to exist. "Metaphysical biology," for example -- [[Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime)/Characters|Doctor Kozo Fuyutsuki's]] specialty -- is kind of like genetics, only it involves human souls instead of genes.

* ''[[Star Trek the Original Series]]'': To be fair, [[Fair for Its Day|many aspects of the show were pretty hard sci-fi when it was created]], [[Zeerust|and only seem strange now]] [[Science Marches On|after decades of science]]. Though the setting is stranger than other ''Star Trek'' shows, the ships and the technology are much more grounded. That said, it features many softer elements, some of which (e.g. [[Rubber Forehead Aliens]], [[All Planets Are Earthlike]], [[Aliens Speaking English]], [[Teleporters and Transporters|transporters]]) can be explained by the technical and budget limitations of the show when it was made (the 1960s), and others ([[Time Travel]], [[Disintegrator Ray]] for example) ... not.

* ''[[Starcraft]]'': A borderline case of this category. While it's certainly not as soft as [[Lensman]] Or [[Neon Genesis Evangelion]], there are a number of scientifically questionable elements throughout, particularly found in the nonhuman races. On the other hand, most Terran technology seems, if not realistic, than plausible, save for a few elements such as gravity manipulation. Then there's the [[Psychic Powers]], which have no justification at all, but that's to be expected, considering they're a [[Not Using the M Word|stand in for magic.]]