Hard Science Fiction

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Science Fiction with emphasis on the 'Science'. Seems to be popular with people who prefer simulationist RPGs and/or physics/calculus. As you may expect, it is diametrically opposed to "Soft Science Fiction".

The major problem with Hard Science Fiction is that no entertaining story can ever limit itself to what seems scientifically possible. Space travel and the wonders of technology have been romanticized to a degree that audience expectations cannot be met with scientifically reasonable devices.

Major discrepancies between fact and fiction have been discussed ad infinitum. Important points include

Alien civilizations resembling human archetypes

Faster than light travel

Combat and stealth in space

Violation of thermodynamic laws

Many would consider the very idea of a transgalactic society to be beyond Hard Science Fiction since nothing travels faster than light, and even approaching that speed with considerable mass regularly would take more energy than the universe can supply.

Jules Verne's works, when seen in the context of the time they were written, can be considered Hard Science Fiction.

A notable compromise is the anime Planetes, which manages to avoid any direct violation of the laws of physics, but fails to explain the economic viability of manned space travel.