10 Sci-Fi Movies That Got The Science Right
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
In 1968, Stanley Kubrick made a movie that depicted several aspects of space travel so well, he became the target of a conspiracy theory a year later. His depiction of the Moon and other aspects of space travel had people saying he shot the Apollo 11 Moon Landing a year later on a soundstage.
Granted, the realism shown on screen wasn't solely Kubrick's direction — the writing of Arthur C. Clarke helped keep the film grounded. There were several scenes in the movie that are absolutely scientifically accurate.
One of the most appreciated is the scene that shows how silent space actually is. No music, no background noise... just the sound of your own breathing, and that's all you will hear while you float through the black while wearing a spacesuit.
On top of that, the design of everything in the film was outsourced to actual aerospace engineers, which is why Discovery One isn't shaped like a shuttle. A ship that never needs to leave or enter an atmosphere can be any shape, and that's certainly true of the vessel used in the film.
Another interesting aspect of 2001: A Space Odyssey that links it to the real world is that a lot of the tech seen in the movie (which didn't exist in '68) exists now. The film foretold real-world space travel technology that was ultimately developed, which clearly places the move on the side of scientific accuracy.