NASA Names Most Realistic and Unrealistic Sci-Fi Films of All Time

Working through the year-end best/worst movie lists can be a feat of Olympic proportions, but there's one list which is so damn cool you'll definitely want to give it a whirl. NASA has compiled a list of the "least plausible science fiction movies ever made," and they ranked the disastrous (in more ways than one) '2012' as the most "absurd" sci-fi flick of all time.

You don't have to be a science nerd to see why Roland Emmerich's end of the world-meets Mayan calendar-meets everything explodes movie is worthy of inclusion, but Donald Yeomans -- head of NASA's Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission -- explains: "The film makers took advantage of public worries about the so-called end of the world as apparently predicted by the Mayans of Central America, whose calendar ends on December 21, 2012." Yeomans continued, explaining that the paranoia surrounding the movie's concept has overwhelmed his organization. "The agency is getting so many questions from people terrified that the world is going to end in 2012 that we have had to put up a special website to challenge the myths. We have never had to do this before," he said.

If you need more proof that these astro-badasses have impeccable taste, perhaps their "worst of" vote for box office bomb, 'The Core,' or the lava-crazy 'Volcano' will convince you. Michael Bay's 'Armageddon' also made the blacklist -- which may cause flux amongst some fans who dig its grand visuals and effects -- but as far as being scientifically accurate, it doesn't make the grade. It isn't all doom and gloom though, as the organizations did praise several films for their realism. 'Gattaca,' the 1997 movie about liberal eugenics, topped the "best of" list, alongside 'Jurassic Park' and 'Contact.'

Now that the scientists have spoken, it's time for the movie herd to weigh in. In your opinion, which side of the coin do sci-fi classics like 'Soylent Green' or '2001' fall on? Where does a movie like 'Blade Runner' hit or miss the science textbook? Leave us your most ludicrous or science-savvy votes in the comments section.

Bad Science

(voted by NASA)

Worst Sci-Fi Movies

1. 2012 (2009)

2. The Core (2003)

3. Armageddon (1998)

4. Volcano (1997)

5. Chain Reaction (1996)

6. The 6th Day (2000)

7. What the #$*! Do We Know? (2004)

Most Realistic Films

1. Gattaca (1997)

2. Contact (1997)

3. Metropolis (1927)

4. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

5. Woman in the Moon (1929)

6. The Thing from Another World (1951)

7. Jurassic Park (1993)

View the original article here