Movies

Science in film can mean futuristic sci-fi, with faster-than-light-speed spacecraft; laser battles on distant planets; or an uprising of humanlike, intelligent androids. It could also accompany stories of global disasters fueled by exaggerated versions of modern threats, such as pandemics, nuclear war, extreme weather or climate change. It could even present thoughtful portraits of real women and men who were scientific pioneers and innovators, whose discoveries shaped the world as we know it today. Grab some popcorn and settle in with Live Science at the movies.

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NASA astronaut Charles Duke filmed Commander John Young as Young drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle, in footage shot on April 21, 1972 during the fifth day of the Apollo 16 moon landing.

Astonishing AI restoration brings Apollo moon landing films up to speed

By Mindy Weisberger

Artificial intelligence transformed NASA footage of Apollo missions to the moon, making decades-old events look like they were shot on high-definition video.

Godzilla Grew 30 Times Faster Than Any Organism on Earth. Here's Why.

By Laura Geggel

If Godzilla were a real creature, his incredibly rapid growth spurt on the big screen would be off the charts, even setting evolutionary records, a new report finds.

A huge Megalodon shark thrashes around on the big screen.

Science of 'The Meg': How Scientists Know the World's Largest Shark Is Gone Forever

By Mindy Weisberger

In the new movie, one, solitary Megalodon is still lurking in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Is that possible?

A <i>T. rex</i> bellows in "Fallen Kingdom," but its real voice would likely have been a lot less dramatic than this lion-like roar.

'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' Skimps on Dinosaur Science

By Mindy Weisberger

We're not asking for much — at least cover those dinos in a few feathers.

There's a very good reason why the tubby, adorable porgs in "The Last Jedi" resemble the equally endearing puffin.

May the 4th Be With You As You Check Out These Amazing Animals of 'The Last Jedi'

By Mindy Weisberger

Today (May 4) — also known as Star Wars Day — Live Science is debuting a new movie-themed column and video series, where we'll be looking at how feature films represent science and scientists.

hidden figures, john glenn, taraji p henson

Science and Sci-Fi at the Movies in 2017

By Hanneke Weitering

There was plenty of science in the movies that hit screens large and small in 2017.

94-Year-Old 'Ten Commandments' Sphinx Unearthed in Coastal Dunes

By Laura Geggel

Photos: 1923 Sphinx from Movie Set Found Buried in Sandy Dune

By Laura Geggel

A remarkably well-preserved plaster-of-paris sphinx was uncovered in the dunes along the California coast, near Santa Barbara.

Machine Dreams: 22 Human-Like Androids from Sci-Fi

By Mindy Weisberger

Androids are a mainstay of science fiction, compelling audiences to question how we define what makes us human.

A still image from a movie that was stored in bacterial DNA. The image on the left is the original, and the image on the right is reconstructed from the data stored in DNA.

How Scientists Stored a Movie Inside DNA

By Rachael Rettner

Researchers have encoded the data to make a short video into the DNA molecules of bacteria.

This 'Alien' Coloring Book Promises Out-of-This-World Experience [Deal]

By Louis Ramirez

Titan Books is now selling their 80-page homage to the popular horror/sci-fi franchise, "Alien: The Coloring Book." It's the official coloring book of the sci-fi series.