From Jurassic Park to The Martian: Five science fiction films that get botany (mostly) wrong
Science fiction films are a firm favourite for many. And whilst the genre specialises in speculative ideas, there is still a much-needed place for factual accuracy. Often, however, scientific detail falls by the wayside in big production films. Why let facts get the way of a good story, eh? Sadly for some, these glaring errors can be a distracting plot hole too far. In this episode, botanist James Wong gives his analysis of the botanical accuracy, or lack thereof, in his favourite sci-fi films. From The Martian to Jurassic Park, who knew plants were so hard to get right.
But it’s not all bad, some films almost get it right. In 2015’s The Martian, botanist-turned-astronaut Mark Watney survives being marooned on the Red Planet by growing his own potatoes. Producing arguably more calories per square metre of growing space than any other conventional crop, potatoes are a logical choice. But the problem lies in how they travelled to Mars.
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