Exploring the many ways space, space travels, and extraterrestrial life are depicted in film, TV, literature, anime, comics, and technology.

Imagining Life in Space

Best TV

The outer galaxy has fascinated television viewers for decades. The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-exciting-sci-fi-tv-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best space TV shows</a> feature out-of-this-world storylines, extraterrestrial beings, and scientific humanoids. This list of the greatest TV shows about outer space includes everything from Star Trek: The Original Series to Battlestar Galactica to Firefly and is ranked from best to worst by your votes.

What shows will you find on this list of the best TV shows set in space? Since it first premiered in 1963, Doctor Who has become a staple of British - and global - television. The regenerating Time Lord explores space and time from his distinctive blue ship, the TARDIS.&nbsp;The lead characters of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 are trapped in a spaceship and forced to watch B movies as their captor attempts to take over the world. Other good <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/current-tv-shows-about-space/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">TV shows about space</a> include Babylon 5, Lost in Space, and Farscape. Next to those classics and are <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/current-tv-shows-about-space/ranker-tv" target="_blank">newer TV shows set in space</a>, such as The Mandalorian, For All Mankind, and Space Force.

Which space TV show do you think is the best? Vote up the best TV shows set in space and see where your favorite out-of-this-world series rank.

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Mystery Science Theater 3000

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The 50+ Best Space Shows, Ranked

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The 50+ Best TV Shows Set In Space, Ranked By Fans By Fans

Ranker TV

Lists for Pokémon fans who want to be the very best.

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Gaming

Back in the ’90s, Pokémon was so popular that its creators probably could have taken over the world if they wanted to. While the franchise doesn’t have the same grip on pop culture as it did back then, it still lives rent-free in many people’s heads. That means that despite being around for decades, there are still some Pokémon mysteries that remain unsolved.What are some of the biggest unanswered questions in Pokémon? Some involve strange Pokédex entries - how can Kadabra be a human boy transformed into a Pokémon if it evolves from Abra? Others arise naturally while enjoying the series - do people eat Pokémon? And who, exactly, is Ash’s dad?Whether or not these are burning questions depends on your personal interests and how much disbelief you’re willing to suspend. Vote for the Pokémon mysteries you find the most vexing!

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15 Unsolved 'Pokémon' Mysteries That Continue To Baffle Fans

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15 Frustrating 'Pokémon' Mysteries That Still Remain Unsolved

Sarah Chen

Lists about the most insulting ways so-called "reality" shows lie right to their fans, from fudging details to outright manufacturing entire lives. Open your eyes, sheeple.

That's Not Reality

Life Below Zero

There's no doubt that living remotely in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/alaskan-bush-people-fake/donn-saylor">Alaskan bush</a> isn't a walk in the park. But is the National Geographic channel's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-life-below-zero-seasons/ranker-tv">Life Below Zero</a>&nbsp;accurate? According to some native Alaskans, the show doesn't portray the reality of Alaska all that well. Criticisms of&nbsp;Life Below Zero&nbsp;mainly center around the fact that most of Alaska is connected to the outside world —&nbsp;it has wifi, roads, and even Amazon delivery (often by plane, but delivery nonetheless).&nbsp;Life Below Zero certainly isn't the first reality show that's suffered accusations that it was staged or otherwise "unreal." However, many are all too happy to sign away their rights for a chance at reality fame. That fame often means that Life Below Zero&nbsp;stars aren't living the tough, remote lives that they perhaps used to —&nbsp;after all, they are getting paid to be on the show.&nbsp;Regardless of reality, Sue, Chip, Agnes, and the rest of the gang certainly provide entertainment against the stunning backdrops of Alaska's wilderness: it just may not be as wild as you think.&nbsp;

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'Life Below Zero' Has Dark Behind The Scenes Facts They Don't Want You To Know

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NatGeo's Life Below Zero Is Not As Real As You Might Think

Olivia Jimenez

Mars

Appearing in cycles, depending on its location relative to our own planet, Mars is often one of the brightest objects in the night sky. As such, it has long fascinated astronomers, stargazers, and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/greatest-science-fiction-authors-v1?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">science fiction writers</a>. In the 1950s, when <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-alien-invasion-movies-list/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">alien invasion movies</a> were big business, Mars was the default place to have your bug-eyed monsters come from, to such an extent that &quot;Martian&quot; became a catch-all term for just about any alien.

As one of the closest planets to Earth, Mars was bound to be the setting for any number of science fiction films. Indeed, movies about trips to the red planet are almost as old as the artform of cinema itself. One of the earliest cinematic depictions of Mars comes in a four-minute short subject from 1910 called&nbsp;A Trip to Mars, which depicts a man using &quot;antigravity powder&quot; to fly to the red planet, where he encounters unfriendly Martians. Years later, we&#39;ve sent uncrewed flights to Mars&nbsp;and gotten a look at its surface thanks to rovers, but we&#39;re still making movies about what dangers might be waiting for us when we finally step onto the red planet for the first time...

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From 'Total Recall' To 'The Martian': The 15 Best Thrillers Set On Mars

15 Movie Thrillers Set On Mars, Ranked By Film Fans

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Sci-Fi

If you're a fan of outer space and futuristic adventures, you're in for a treat with our list of the best Sci-Fi space movies of all time. Fiction movies about space have been a cornerstone of the science fiction genre, transporting audiences to distant galaxies, uncharted planets, and beyond the known universe. These films are not just about dazzling special effects; they tackle profound questions about humanity, survival, and the cosmos.Some standout examples in the genre include Interstellar, a visually stunning epic that delves into the complexities of love, time, and space travel. There's also The Martian, a gripping tale of survival and ingenuity as an astronaut fights to stay alive on Mars. And for those who enjoy a mix of ancient history and sci-fi, Stargate offers an exciting adventure through mysterious portals and distant lands. These films, among others, have defined what it means to create captivating and thoughtful fiction movies about space.&nbsp;So, which film ranks highest in your interstellar adventures? Make sure to cast your vote – it will help determine the ultimate sci-fi space masterpiece.

Independence Day

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The 185+ Best Sci-Fi Movies About Space

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The 185+ Best Sci-Fi Space Movies, Ranked By Fans

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Fascinating info that will make you the most interesting person at every party.

Wild Facts You Should Know

Culture

Symbols are everywhere, even when we don't realize it. A drawing of a heart, a no smoking sign, or a crosswalk - they're all physical representations of a word, a concept, or an idea. As often as not, people use symbols and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/satanic-symbols-in-public/jacob-shelton">see symbols</a> without actually knowing their names.&nbsp;For example, let's take a look at the US-International keyboard (the version used for this list). There are a lot of keyboard symbols with fairly obvious names because there's very little confusion about what they do. The dollar sign ($), the plus sign (+), or the at sign (@) - these are all (more or less) keyboard symbols with names everyone knows. Most punctuation is also pretty straightforward (period).But, there are a bunch of<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/common-freemason-symbols/jacob-shelton"> symbol names</a>, especially keyboard symbol names, that don't resonate. Maybe we've never learned them, or maybe we came up with one of our own for simplicity (saying “star” for * is much easier than “asterisk," after all).&nbsp;There are a lot of possible reasons symbol names we don't use in regular conversation - but, now that we know them, try to stop us (exclamation point)! What about you (question mark)?&nbsp;

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The Actual Names For Symbols You Didn't Know Even Have Names

Melissa Sartore

People have been living all around the world for literally thousands of years. Here are some of the most interesting things human beings have ever done (that we know about).

Fascinating Ancient History

Weird History

The 6th century boasted many exceptional&nbsp;events, people, and historical contributions. The exception, however, was&nbsp;one year that was particularly burdened with a level of tragedy and strife&nbsp;most historians say surpassed any other moment in history: 536 CE. This was the worst part of the Dark Ages.&nbsp;

Calling the medieval period the &quot;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/reasons-dark-ages-were-not-dark/melissa-sartore" target="_blank">Dark Ages</a>&quot; may seem to be a&nbsp;bit of an exaggeration to the period overall, but scientists and historians recently determined the worst time to be alive was, in fact, during one of these so-called dark years. Across the globe, from Europe to Asia to South America, civilization stalled as people dealt with hardships brought on by horrific natural events.

Plagues, famines, and natural disasters all contributed to the challenges of 536, as did messy political shifts and cultural upheavals. <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-life-was-like-in-medieval-castles/shanell-mouland" target="_blank">Living in medieval Europe</a> was anything but easy, and the 6th century appeared&nbsp;exceptionally difficult to survive.&nbsp;Don&#39;t worry, though - about 100 years later <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-did-humans-survive-536-ad-worst-year/genevieve-carlton" target="_blank">everything recovered as best it could</a>.

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Historians Agree 536 Was The Worst Year To Be Alive - What Happened?

Reasons 536 CE Was The Worst Year To Be Alive

Stories, pics, trivia, and interesting tidbits about all creatures, great and small.

Enter the Animal Kingdom

Darling, it's better down where it's wetter.

Under the Sea

Weird Nature

We all wonder what alien life might look like, but there are some strange creatures swimming in our oceans that are more bizarre than anything Hollywood has imagined. About 71 percent of the surface of the Earth is covered in water and we are still only beginning to discover the incredible biodiversity and unusual denizens of the oceans. Ocean life and sea animals are full of surprises, and there are all kinds of cool fish (and a few <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-fish-list/ranker-science" target="_blank">scary ones</a>) living in the ocean.What fascinating fish facts should you know about the many creatures of the ocean depths? Did you know that until 2013, no one had ever recorded a video of a giant squid alive? The coelacanth was thought to be extinct for millions of years until one was caught alive in 1938. There are also an array of alien-like jellyfish and terrifying deep-sea monsters that look like something out of a horror movie.So what is the weirdest, wildest ocean creature alive? Believe it or not, all the ocean animals and fish below are 100% real. Vote up the most interesting and maybe slightly scary facts about ocean life below!

Pretty Cool And Kind Of Scary Facts About Ocean Creatures

Cool Fish Facts | Sea Animals & Ocean Life Trivia

Ranker Science

Laws. They're what separate us from the animals. Well, most of us.

Legal Matters

Between federal laws, state regulations, and local mandates, American citizens have a lot to remember if they want to follow the rules. While these laws are designed initially to keep the public safe, they can <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/stupid-marriage-laws/mike-rothschild">often be outdated</a> and seem a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weirdest-small-town-american-laws/donn-saylor">little silly.</a> Still, we obediently follow them in the name of good citizenship (and to avoid hefty fines or arrests).&nbsp;Because there are so many rules to consider, the average person usually doesn't bother to question a commonly known regulation. But what if we've been blindly following these “laws” all along, not realizing that they were just rumors or assumptions?&nbsp;Is it really illegal to kill a praying mantis? Will counting cards at a casino put a person in jail? What happens when a person removes a mattress tag? This list features things that you may think are illegal but actually aren't. Vote up the activities you are most surprised to find entirely lawful.&nbsp;

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12 Things You May Think Are Illegal - But Actually Aren't

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Fun and very interesting lists about slang, vocabulary, language, spelling, and even punctuation!

Words, Words, Words

You know those words that are basically two words smushed together? Like how “smog” is a combination of “smoke” and “fog.” Or “brunch” is the baby of “breakfast" and “lunch.”Well, there is a word for these compound words - a portmanteau (pronounced port-MAN-toe). Fittingly, “portmanteau” is a portmanteau, coming from the two root words of “porter” (to carry) and “manteau” (a cloak). So, the loose translation of “carrying a cloak” means to carry two ideas together. Or, more simply, think of a portmanteau as “<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wordgenius.com/surprising-everyday-words-that-are-portmanteaus/YnFi6X-L6wAG0yE8">two meanings packed up into one word.</a>”There are many words in the English language that not many of us probably realize are portmanteaus - everything from our favorite electronic pets to the stuff that closes our toddlers' shoes.&nbsp;

15 Everyday Words We Didn’t Realize Were Portmanteaus

Portmanteaus We Didn't Notice 

Emily Pogue

In the year 79, in the Campagnia region of modern Italy, Mount Vesuvius positively blew its stack, releasing molten rock, ash, and 100,00 times the thermal energy of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki blasts at the rate of 1.5 million tons per second.

The Walls Kept Tumbling Down

Pompeii

In 79 CE, volcanic Mount Vesuvius erupted&nbsp;and buried Pompeii, Italy. Hidden from the world beneath&nbsp;pumice and ash, it was all but forgotten for nearly 1,500&nbsp;years. But that&nbsp;changed in 1738&nbsp;when excavation workers discovered the site preserved&nbsp;beneath dust and debris.In 1860, Italian archaeologist Giuseppe&nbsp;Fiorelli&nbsp;took charge of the site and began a proper excavation. Fiorelli recognized the soft ashes on the site were actually cavities <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-it-was-like-at-pompeii/setareh-janda?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">left from the dead</a>, and he&nbsp;is responsible for filling them with high-grade plaster. Thus, the preserved bodies of Pompeii were born. Nearly 150 years later, modern science revealed strange facts about the bodies thanks to&nbsp;CT scans.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/modern-archaeological-facts/zach-seemayer">Archaeological discoveries</a> like this are constantly refining our beliefs about the ancient world. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/07/science/archaeology-dna-pompeii.html">As recently as 2024</a>, scholars upended long-held beliefs the demographics at Pompeii and how adults and children, as well as men and women, interacted with each other.Among the many <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-pompeii/theodoros-karasavvas">things most folks don't know about Pompeii</a> is&nbsp;that the bodies themselves, more than almost any other existing artifacts, provide archaeologists with vital information about what life was like in the ancient city.&nbsp;Take a look at these little-known Pompeii facts.

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15 Bizarre Things Most People Don't Know About The Bodies Preserved At Pompeii

15 Things You Didn't Know About The Bodies Preserved At Pompeii

Andy Miller

Since the dawn of civilization, a lot of important things have happened. Here are lists of about the many winding routes we took to get where we are today.

Historical Contexts

Earth

Have you ever wondered about the age of the planet? To grasp&nbsp;just how old the Earth is might take some major mind bending. It definitely requires familiarity with technical geologic&nbsp;terms. After all, geologic time is so broad that it&#39;s been divided into more than 20 categories and subcategories. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/geologic-time" target="_blank">There are</a>&nbsp;eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages - all of which form a complicated timeline of overlapping (and somewhat simplified)&nbsp;divisions of time.&nbsp;

We&#39;ve avoided as much technical jargon as possible here,&nbsp;but there&#39;s still a lot about geologic&nbsp;time that&#39;s just really difficult to wrap one&#39;s head around. Dinosaurs, volcanoes, and woolly mammoths... oh my!&nbsp;Take a look at some geologic timeline facts that might actually make steam come out of your ears!&nbsp;

15 Facts About Geologic Time That Made Our Brains Hurt

Wild facts and historical photos that made us say "Whoa!"

More Stuff for History Nerds 

Belief is fluid. That's not a bastardized Bruce Lee quote, nor does it refer to a mythical river or rogue wave (which we'll get to later); it means that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/amazing-animals-scientists-didnt-believe-were-real/eric-vega">what people believe is in constant flux.</a> The <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/crazy-people-proven-right-all-along/will-morgan-1">history of belief </a>affirms that statement.&nbsp;For centuries, ordinary people thought the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historical-figures-crazy-proven-right-all-along/emily-mast">sun revolved around Earth</a>, disease was caused by demons, and a hole in the head could cure most ailments. Although it may seem like our ancestors were more gullible, they didn't buy many of the phenomena that we now accept as fact.&nbsp;Note: many quotes are translated from their original languages.

12 Very Real Things People Used To Think Were Fake

Real Things People Used To Think Were Fake

Shane Fraser

Lists about insects, spiders, and other things you don't want living in your house.

Bugs & Creepy Crawlies

Run, don't walk!, from these dangerous and terrifying creatures, hunting humans around the world and lurking in your own backyard.

Formidable Beasts

One of humanity's most primal fears is that there is something crawling up your back right now. Seriously, you might want to check that out because a fear of insects resides in just about every one of us. There's good reason for that: there are some insect species who have absolutely no problem causing us real harm and even killing us!Humans may think themselves the dominant lifeforms on the planet, but there are millions of species of insect species in every nook and cranny of the globe. Some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/terrifying-insects/jacobybancroft" target="_blank">scariest types of insects</a>, which attack humans, serve up a healthy dose of fear.The main problem with most insects is that you don't have to worry about one insect that attacks humans, you have to worry about a <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/bug-infestations-in-history/mike-rothschild" target="_blank">swarm of nasty bugs</a>. You might be able to swat one pesky bug, but 10,000 of them? That's a different story. Some of the scariest bug species around are rather ugly, which is one of the reasons people fear and despise them, while others are surprisingly beautiful. Despite their appearance, there are several species of insects that are dangerous to humans and should be avoided at all costs—and many&nbsp;are found on this list.

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The Scariest Types of Insects in the World

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The Scariest Types of Insects | List of Scary Bug Species

Explainer

Dysentery is an illness people hear about in history class and in pop culture but may never fully understand. Its association with the classic computer game The Oregon Trail definitely made it clear how deadly it was - and still is - but that's about as far as our knowledge of it goes.Dysentery actually has a very long history and is caused by several infections. Its effects on the human body are debilitating and, if left untreated, fatal. But treating dysentery isn't as easy as it may seem either. Myths and facts about dysentery are often conflated, but here's what dysentery does to your body.&nbsp;

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What Is Dysentery And What Does It Do To Your Body?

Lists of funny signs, postings, and placards that are ridiculous and hilarious - intentionally or otherwise.

Signs of the Times

Take the kids out for a fun day at the zoo! See wild animals in tiny recreations of their natural habitats! Watch as they suffer stress, indignity, unnatural climates, and public mating! ...Ooh, a monkey!!!

Locked Up: Animals Behind Bars

Funny

It's time for you to get in touch with your inner animal. Start by scratching yourself, and then make some loud animal noises. Don't worry what the people around you think, you're an&nbsp;animal that can't be tamed. Now imagine you're an animal at the zoo and a bunch of people are&nbsp;standing around watching you clean yourself. Feels pretty good, doesn't it? Now before you start really making trouble, make sure to check out these pictures of funny zoo signs... and don't forget to vote up your favorites, you wild animal!

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The Funniest Signs at the Zoo

19 Funny Zoo Signs That Will Leave You Scratching Your Head

Nathan Davidson

Science and Medicine lists at Ranker provide the best rankings of interesting scientific facts, topics, and cool science news voted on by 1000s of science fans.