History Mohs / WorldOfPhlebotinum

[[AC: FanFic]]
* ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' is pretty unrealistic, but there's some consistency in this manner.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': To be fair, [[FairForItsDay many aspects of the show were pretty hard sci-fi when it was created]], [[{{Zeerust}} and only seem strange now]] [[ScienceMarchesOn 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. RubberForeheadAliens, AllPlanetsAreEarthlike, AliensSpeakingEnglish, [[TeleportersAndTransporters transporters]]) can be explained by the technical and budget limitations of the show when it was made (the 1960s), and others (TimeTravel, DisintegratorRay for example) ... not.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is set in a alternate Earth where scientists discovered magic in 2010. The core concepts and rules of magic are actually rooted in [[ThePowerOfRock music theory]] and hence are noted in complex, painstaking detail, [[MagicAIsMagicA but they're also rigid and consistent]], with all subsequent applications falling within the realm of pre-established plausibility.

[[AC: {{Television}}]]

* The ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' novels: A classic [[PulpMagazine pulp]] SF series, which originated the trope of SpacePolice armed with [[GreenLanternRing incredibly powerful and flexible weapons]], and arguably, the whole SpaceOpera 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 [[ScienceMarchesOn 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.

* ''Webcomic/AMiracleOfScience'' is just about at the hardest end of this category -- the the Martian HiveMind and the {{Mad Scientist}}s contribute a lot of properly implausible tech (although the [[spoiler:Decoherence Cannon]] was apparently a mundane research project), but between these we have things like gravitational slingshots and laser microphones which are ordinary modern technology.

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': The science, [[MagicPoweredPseudoscience later revealed to be powered by magic]] which is [[ZigZaggedTrope then itself revealed]] to be [[SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic governed by its own consistent rules and likely entirely analyzable]],[[labelnote:*]]The workings of the universe's "magic" are explained in portions at length, and seem to be [[MagicFromTechnology part of the scientific laws of the universe and only called magic]].[[/labelnote]] is entirely divorced from reality but nothing if not internally consistent. [[MagicAIsMagicA Magic A is definitely Magic A]]. Just misses Mohs/PhysicsPlus due to softeners shamelessly handwaved by the in-universe LawOfNarrativeCausality (''also'' hinted to be one of the natural laws guiding magic), like violations of the square-cube law, the mysterious force that causes the "dramatic hair-in-the-wind effect," and, formerly, characters' [[{{Hammerspace}} ability to summon hammers for comedic effect]]--which has since been explained meticulously to slot neatly into the universe's rules after all.

* The StarWarsExpandedUniverse is marginally harder than the films, and probably belongs in this category. The technology may fly in the face of real-world science, but at least it's [[MagicAIsMagicA consistent]].
* IsaacAsimov's Literature/{{Foundation}} series. It's got FTLTravel, DeflectorShields, [[AtomPunk "atomic"]] versions of just about everything, PsychicPowers, and an invented statistical science called "psychohistory" which can predict the course of civilization with frightening accuracy.

* ''StarCraft'': A borderline case of this category. While it's certainly not as soft as Literature/{{Lensman}} Or Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion, 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, then plausible, save for a few elements such as gravity manipulation. Then there's PsychicPowers, which have no justification at all, but that's to be expected, considering they're a [[NotUsingTheMWord stand in for magic.]]

* ''StarCraft'': A borderline case of this category. While it's certainly not as soft as Literature/{{Lensman}} Or Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion, 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 PsychicPowers, which have no justification at all, but that's to be expected, considering they're a [[NotUsingTheMWord stand in for magic.]]

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': The science, [[MagicPoweredPseudoscience later revealed to be powered by magic]] which is [[ZigZaggedTrope then itself revealed]] to be [[SufficientlyAnalyzedMagic governed by its own consistent rules and likely entirely analyzable]],[[hottip:*:The workings of the universe's "magic" are explained in portions at length, and seem to be [[MagicFromTechnology part of the scientific laws of the universe and only called magic]]. is entirely divorced from reality but nothing if not internally consistent. [[MagicAIsMagicA Magic A is definitely Magic A]]. Just misses Mohs/PhysicsPlus due to softeners shamelessly handwaved by the in-universe LawOfNarrativeCausality (''also'' hinted to be one of the natural laws guiding magic), like violations of the square-cube law, the mysterious force that causes the "dramatic hair-in-the-wind effect," and, formerly, characters' [[{{Hammerspace}} ability to summon hammers for comedic effect]]--which has since been explained meticulously to slot neatly into the universe's rules after all.

'''World Of Phlebotinum''': The universe is full of AppliedPhlebotinum with more to be found behind every star, but the Phlebotinum is dealt with in a fairly consistent fashion despite its lack of correspondence with reality and, in-world, is considered to lie within the realm of scientific inquiry.

[[AC:Examples]]
* The ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' novels: A classic [[PulpMagazine pulp]] SF series, which originated the trope of SpacePolice armed with [[GreenLanternRing incredibly powerful and flexible weapons]], and arguably, the whole SpaceOpera 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 [[ScienceMarchesOn 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.
* The ''[[Literature/SkylarkSeries Skylark of Space]]'' series of books, also by Creator/EEDocSmith. The first book kicks things off with a quantity of Unobtanium, more than a bit of FasterThanLightTravel, and multiple {{First Contact}}s, and the series only escalates from there.

* ''{{Series/Farscape}}'': RubberForeheadAliens and even HumanAliens abound, and space travel seems to suffer from a case of SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale. ArtificialGravity is so ubiquitous as to not merit mention, and its seems that AllPlanetsAreEarthlike. TimeTravel occurs more than once.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': To be fair, [[FairForItsDay many aspects of the show were pretty hard sci-fi when it was created]], [[{{Zeerust}} and only seem strange now]] [[ScienceMarchesOn 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. RubberForeheadAliens, AllPlanetsAreEarthlike, AliensSpeakingEnglish, [[TeleportersAndTransporters transporters]]) can be explained by the technical and budget limitations of the show when it was made (the 1960s), and others (TimeTravel, DisintegratorRay for example) ... not.
* ''StarCraft'': A borderline case of this category. While it's certainly not as soft as Literature/{{Lensman}} Or Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion, 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 PsychicPowers, which have no justification at all, but that's to be expected, considering they're a [[NotUsingTheMWord stand in for magic.]]
* The StarWarsExpandedUniverse is marginally harder than the films, and probably belongs in this category. The technology may fly in the face of real-world science, but at least it's [[MagicAIsMagicA consistent]].
* ''Webcomic/AMiracleOfScience'' is just about at the hardest end of this category -- the the Martian HiveMind and the {{Mad Scientist}}s contribute a lot of properly implausible tech (although the [[spoiler:Decoherence Cannon]] was apparently a mundane research project), but between these we have things like gravitational slingshots and laser microphones which are ordinary modern technology.
* ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'' falls pretty clearly into this category. It has a lot of things that are relatively plausible, but the presence and frequent use of [[GreenRocks metatron]] takes it right into this territory, especially as the player is frequently exposed to [[AppliedPhlebotinum elements enabled by it]].

* The ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' novels: A classic [[PulpMagazine pulp]] SF series, which originated the trope of SpacePolice armed with [[GreenLanternRing incredibly powerful and flexible weapons]], and arguably, the whole SpaceOpera 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 [[ScienceMarchesOn ]]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.

* ''StarCraft'': A borderline case of this category. While it's certainly not as soft as {{Lensman}} Or Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion, 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 PsychicPowers, which have no justification at all, but that's to be expected, considering they're a [[NotUsingTheMWord stand in for magic.]]

* The ''{{Lensman}}'' novels: A classic [[PulpMagazine pulp]] SF series, which originated the trope of SpacePolice armed with [[GreenLanternRing incredibly powerful and flexible weapons]], and arguably, the whole SpaceOpera 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 [[ScienceMarchesOn ]]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.

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': A lot of the AppliedPhlebotinum 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 -- [[Characters/NeonGenesisEvangelion Doctor Kozo Fuyutsuki's]] specialty -- is kind of like genetics, only it involves human souls instead of genes.
** The problem being there is so much bizarre phlebotinum that it's impossible to keep track of what's ACTUALLY supposed to do what (Along with not ACTUALLY giving any explanation most of the time, ANYWAY), along with supposed Alternate Universes, the entire series is just a mess. It's honestly easier just to classify it as a World of Symbolism instead, because scientifically it's a nightmare.

* ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'': A lot of the AppliedPhlebotinum 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 -- [[Characters/NeonGenesisEvangelion Doctor Kozo Fuyutsuki's]] specialty -- is kind of like genetics, only it involves human souls instead of genes.

* ''StarCraft'': A borderline case of this category. While it's certainly not as soft as {{Lensman}} Or NeonGenesisEvangelion, 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 PsychicPowers, which have no justification at all, but that's to be expected, considering they're a [[NotUsingTheMWord stand in for magic.]]

* IsaacAsimov's Literature/{{Foundation}} series. It's got FTLTravel, DeflectorShields, "atomic" versions of just about everything, PsychicPowers, and an invented statistical science called "psychohistory" which can predict the course of civilization with frightening accuracy.

* ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': To be fair, [[FairForItsDay many aspects of the show were pretty hard sci-fi when it was created]], [[{{Zeerust}} and only seem strange now]] [[ScienceMarchesOn 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. RubberForeheadAliens, AllPlanetsAreEarthlike, AliensSpeakingEnglish, [[TeleportersAndTransporters transporters]]) can be explained by the technical and budget limitations of the show when it was made (the 1960s), and others (TimeTravel, DisintegratorRay for example) ... not.

* ''AMiracleOfScience'' is just about at the hardest end of this category -- the the Martian HiveMind and the {{Mad Scientist}}s contribute a lot of properly implausible tech (although the [[spoiler:Decoherence Cannon]] was apparently a mundane research project), but between these we have things like gravitational slingshots and laser microphones which are ordinary modern technology.

* ''{{Farscape}}'': RubberForeheadAliens and even HumanAliens abound, and space travel seems to suffer from a case of SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale. ArtificialGravity is so ubiquitous as to not merit mention, and its seems that AllPlanetsAreEarthlike. TimeTravel occurs more than once.