Summary of Sci-Fi Blurring Science Fact with Fiction by Darren Osborne from News in Science (ABC Science) 15 August 2011

A surprising amount of Australians believe in fictional science as being real. These findings were taken by a survey of 1250 people called “Fact or Fiction” and administered by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO).  The survey was done to asses the ability of Australians to compare what is “happening in the ‘real world’” and what is portrayed in science fiction (SF).

Rod Dowler of ANSTO said, “This survey has confirmed that willingly or not we believe in science fiction movies more than we realize.” Over 90% of the survey takes did correctly say that time travel was still SF. However, a survey in the UK showed that 30% of the survey takers thought time travel was possible.

Dowler also says “Science Fiction films can be very inspirational to scientists and the general public, getting more people interested in science and setting the bar for the types of technology we would like in the future.”