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

Imagining Life in Space

Entertainment

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

TV Program

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

Ranker TV

Vacations

The solar system is a vast, amazing place. From our Goldilocks-zone planet of Earth we've been able to observe and learn quite a lot about our solar neighborhood. Most of that knowledge has come from high tech probes and telescopes, letting us peek at the other celestial bodies that make up our solar system. Getting there in person has proved a considerable challenge for our tenacious drive to explore. The whole solar system is hundreds of millions of kilometers of space, inhabited by objects that make up an infinitesimal fraction of that volume. And even if you could live long enough to make the voyage, these places aren't exactly hospitable, with all manners of intolerable cold, heat or toxicity. But let's just assume we all had a TARDIS or something. What cool things in the solar system could you visit? What outer space tourist sites would be your favorite destinations in an age of space tourism? Once you've considered this important question, why not rank your favorite <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-wars-planets/amylindorff">Star Wars planets</a> also?

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Sailing Along Saturn's Rings Or Going For A Dip In Titan's Methane Lakes?

The Best Vacation Spots In The Solar System

General

The Best Vacation Spots in the Solar System

Michael Graff

Psst! Hey, kid: wanna see something cool? Check out these lists of neato facts, pics, and vids of science working around you, all day in every way.

That's Just Science

Mysteries

Science has done a great deal to demystify the world. Things that would once have been ascribed to the supernatural or to gods have, thanks to the scientific method, been explained rationally (even if, all too often, some&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-widely-misunderstood-scientific-concepts/bruce-maisy">scientific concepts remain poorly understood</a>).Numerous ancient mysteries of the world have been solved through experimentation - and there have been&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weirdest-scientific-experiments-that-received-funding/zack-howe">many strange and unusual examples of these</a>. However, while science has managed to discover some fascinating things about both earth and space, there are a number of surprisingly common things it has yet to fully understand.&nbsp;These aren't the “big think” mysteries like reconciling quantum physics and relativity, or understanding the fundamental nature of time itself. These are things you'd expect scientists to have a handle on - like how bicycles work, or why sand is soft. Vote up the concepts you were sure humans had figured out by now.

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Ordinary Things Scientists Don't Actually Understand

Thomas West

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

Words, Words, Words

Weird History

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;

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15 Everyday Words We Didn’t Realize Were Portmanteaus

Portmanteaus We Didn't Notice 

Emily Pogue

Wild Facts

There's little doubt humankind is the number one <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-products-that-hurt-the-environment/nathan-gibson">threat to the wellbeing of the planet</a>. As humans evolve from one stage of civilization to the next, we force the world around us to change as well. This results in a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/worlds-most-endangered-foods/keshvaralikhani ">loss of plants,</a> animals, and even our own inventions.Ask yourselves when the last time you left a note in cursive was, or when you last saw a payphone. It might take a minute to recall that memory. The loss of pay phones and cursive writing may not have a huge impact on the world but some of the other things on this list surely will. Take a look below and let us know which of things you really wouldn't want to see go.&nbsp;

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16 Things We Didn't Realize Are Disappearing

16 Things We Didn't Realize Are Dying Out

Christina Chilin

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

Film

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

Ranker Film

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

Weird Nature

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

Animal/Plant

The Scariest Types of Insects | List of Scary Bug Species

Ranker Science

Psychology

Most people have experienced that strange&nbsp;sensation of being watched at some point in their lives. It's that&nbsp;feeling of knowing&nbsp;someone is staring at you even though you can't see them behind you. It usually ends with you&nbsp;turning around - just to check -&nbsp;only to find you were right all along and there was, in fact, someone looking at the back of your head.But why is it that we&nbsp;can <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/crazy-animal-sixth-sense/jonathan-sherman" target="_blank">sense&nbsp;when someone is looking at us</a>? Researchers have suggested several different reasons over the years,&nbsp;ranging&nbsp;from <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/actual-psychic-predictions/amandasedlakhevener" target="_blank">extrasensory psychic abilities</a> to brief episodes of unconsciousness and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/theories-about-how-humans-perceive-time/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">even automated behaviors in the brain</a>. However, recent studies have suggested that the sensation may actually be due to another biological process that&nbsp;suggests&nbsp;the brain is hardwired to suspect that someone is looking at you even when there is little evidence to support it.

The Science Behind That Gut-Feeling We're Being Watched

7 Reasons Why You Can Feel When Someone Is Looking At You

Nathan Gibson

Florida

If you've ever been to Florida during hurricane season, you know how unforgiving the weather can be. So why do we launch rockets from Florida, a place that has a reputation for savage storms and inhospitable wildlife? The Kennedy Space Center, located in Cape Canaveral, is NASA's most active launch site in the United States. Even though the space shuttle program ended in 2011, NASA's&nbsp;flight programs continue to roll out&nbsp;rockets, and the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nasa-2020-mars-rover/jacob-shelton?ref=browse_carousel&amp;l=2&amp;pos=4" target="_blank">exciting new Mars Rover</a> is scheduled to <a href="https://phys.org/news/2016-08-nasa-awards-mars-rover-mission.html#nRlv" target="_blank">launch aboard a rocket from&nbsp;Cape Canaveral</a> in 2020.&nbsp;But why is NASA in Florida, and how did they choose that location in the first place?As it turns out, there are actually lots of very good reasons to for NASA to launch their rockets from the sandy coasts of Florida. Despite all the hurricanes, it is still the best location in the country to launch a rocket into orbit. Economic incentives, unique geography, and nearby government installations&nbsp;come together to help the Space Coast live up to its name.&nbsp;That's why companies like SpaceX&nbsp;and Boeing are flocking to the sunshine state&nbsp;in order to take advantage of the existing infrastructure and make their marks on the stars above.

The Ocean Plays A Critical Role In Shuttle Launches

Why Do We Launch Stuff To Outer Space From Florida, Anyway?

Why Do We Launch Stuff To Outer Space From Florida, Anyways?

Eric Luis

Interesting

From the compass to electricity, the accidental discovery of magnetic rock altered the course of humanity way beyond decorative refrigerator magnets. Originally dismissed as&nbsp;magic (<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=BajxBwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA526&amp;lpg=PA526&amp;dq=pliny+the+elder+magnets+magic&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=xlSl93wab1&amp;sig=BIiIGcDwSb-dE9NuGI9H2IOyfsU&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjh0ZCF8tvRAhUBV2MKHdvbDe4Q6AEILDAD#v=onepage&amp;q=pliny%20the%20elder%20magnets%20magic&amp;f=false">it's true</a>), it took scientists thousands of years to fully understand their potential, from ancient Greece to Thomas Edison and the light bulb.And it all started with a&nbsp;simple sheep shepherd in ancient Greece.&nbsp;

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Nine Ways The Discovery Of Magnets Completely Changed The World

How Did We Figure Magnets Out?

Aaron Edwards

Lists about your head, shoulders, knees, toes, ligaments, veins, muscles, bones, and all the other visible features and hidden viscera that make up your very own unique body.

Body Parts

Biology

What&#39;s the purpose of male nipples? This question has probably been asked by every man and woman who has ever lived. Are they <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/vestigial-organs/laura-allan">vestigial</a>? Did men nurse babies at some point? The very existence of male nipples raises a ton of mystifying questions. But in reality, science is well aware of the numerous reasons for why male nipples exist, and the answers are refreshingly straightforward.&nbsp;

For one thing, humans have a lot of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/reasons-for-weird-human-body-parts/katherine-ripley">body parts that just don&#39;t seem to make a lot of sense</a>. The appendix, pinkie toes, wisdom teeth - they all seem somewhat random. Male nipples aren&#39;t all that different, though they are probably the most noticeable&nbsp;bodily outliers. And yes, they are&nbsp;there for more reasons than to just to add some visual interest to the male chest.

Why men have nipples is a fascinating conundrum. The short answer to the question of &quot;why do guys have nipples?&quot; is that all fetuses begin as female, and develop certain female characteristics. The long answer involves testosterone, natural selection, and body chemistry.

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Why Do Men Have Nipples?

12 Scientific Reasons Why Men Have Nipples

Laura Allan

Lists about ways people around the world and throughout history have altered their own appearances in the quest for physical beauty.

Hey, Good Lookin'

Explainer

Why would you undergo neck elongation? This procedure, which works to stretch out the neck, causes pain&nbsp;and takes a lot of dedication. It's natural to wonder why anyone would go through the process. But look closer, and you'll realize that how neck elongation is perceived varies widely from person to person. Some cultures have a rich&nbsp;history of neck elongation practices. In many cases, the reasons why people elongate their necks are related to&nbsp;tradition.But then again, other people opt to elongate their necks for purely cosmetic purposes. Although it may seem strange, is neck elongation any odder than piercing one's ears or inking one's skin with a needle?&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/extreme-body-modifications/jacob-shelton">Body modification</a> is first and foremost a personal choice, but, in some areas of the world, the practice of neck elongation comes with&nbsp;huge&nbsp;significance.

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The Ancient Tradition of Neck Elongation, Explained

What Is Neck Elongation And Why Would Anyone Do That?

Lea Rose Emery

Lists about the gazillions of things spinning around the whole infinite universe.

Space: The Final Frontier

The Space Page

Saturn’s&nbsp;moon Titan has been the subject of innumerable science fiction works, including Kurt Vonnegut’s classic The Sirens of Titan and Philip K. Dick's The Game-Players of Titan. References to it show up in movies, on TV shows, and on rock albums. Titan might just be the most famous moon in the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/planets-in-the-solar-system/jtdesaulnier">solar system</a>. But why is Titan so cool? The short answer: because it's more like Earth than you might expect.Titan has fascinated star-gazers since it was <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/firsts-in-space/ranker-science">first discovered</a> by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens in 1655. Huygens called the moon Saturni Luna, but it was later renamed by John Herschel for the Titans of Greek mythology.Despite its relatively early discovery, Titan stumped the scientific community over the next few hundred years.&nbsp;The moon’s hazy atmosphere&nbsp;made it difficult&nbsp;to discern many facts about Titan or unravel its enticing mysteries. More recently, however, thanks to visits by spacecraft like Cassini-Huygens,&nbsp;researchers are learning the exciting truth: Titan has many <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/pictures-of-earth-from-space/ashley-reign">Earth</a>-like qualities, including flowing liquids, organic compounds and, possibly even&nbsp;a prebiotic environment.There are plenty of extraordinary things you didn't know about Titan. The fact that it might one day be able to support life is just one of them.

16 Facts About Saturn's Moon Titan, The Closest Thing We Have To A Second Earth

Everything You Should Know About Titan: Our Best Bet for a New Home in the Stars

Bruce Maisy

All birds, great and small, from the freaking enormous ostrich to the itty bitty hummingbird and every feathered flapper in between.

Avian Aficionados

Dove

Despite being called &quot;rats with wings,&quot; there are reasons why pigeons are awesome and smarter than most of us realize.&nbsp;Pigeons are one of the first birds to be adapted to domesticity by man and have lived alongside us for centuries. The pigeons we see every day are not the birds that were native to North America (those were made extinct long ago due to hunting practices). Those we see in our parks or on ledges today are <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/12-ways-cities-change-animals-and-animals-change-cities" target="_blank">descendants</a> of pigeons brought to America from Europe in the 1600s that used to roost on sea cliffs. Over time, however, their intellect, speed, and general acumen helped them to survive in cities everywhere as they expanded - and, oh, how they thrive!The pigeon we know today is one high functioning bird. Space and time? They understand it. Reading? It's on their radar. Saving lives? Been there, done that. <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/how-carrier-pigeons-work/amber-fua" target="_blank">Delivering imperative war time messages?</a> They have you covered.&nbsp;The pigeon - despite being much maligned over the centuries - is more than just a dirty pest. Instead of shooing them away next time you see them, give them the respect they deserve - and a little bit of feed wouldn't hurt, either.&nbsp;

Facts About Pigeons - A Bird That, Despite Being Universally Hated, Is Actually Pretty Incredible

10 Amazing Facts About Pigeons That Will Actually Shock You

Michelle Nati

Fascinating conditions, devastating disorders, and nightmarish syndromes that affect human bodies. 

Uncommon Afflictions

Sticks and stones may break your bones - but what if you couldn't even feel them? While it may sound like the stuff of science fiction, some people are born with a <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/weird-mental-disorders/mike-rothschild">condition</a>&nbsp;that makes them unable to experience pain. Congenital insensitivity to pain is very rare, and incredibly dangerous. After all, pain is the body's signal to stop that risky activity you're currently engaged in. Without that trigger, what's to keep you from doing serious damage to yourself?People who can't be hurt have to cope with the world in a different way. Even a hot cup of coffee presents a potential hazard when you have an inability to process the sensation of a burnt tongue. From physical problems to other emotional or behavioral <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/weird-sleep-disorders/laura-allan">disorders</a>, individuals with this condition can experience them all. Sometimes the condition also includes anhidrosis, or the inability to sweat. Facts about people who can't feel pain are as fascinating as their condition is mysterious.

11 Things You Didn't Know About People Who Can't Feel Physical Pain

Chase Christy

You've heard it before: don't drop a penny off a&nbsp;skyscraper, because it could kill someone. It's a notion as strangely comical as it is disturbing. But the idea that a small coin could cause death upon impact seems&nbsp;plausible, right? If you think that, you're not alone - some physicists have even tested this theory by replicating the conditions of&nbsp;throwing a penny or two from the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/empire-state-building-construction-photos/kellen-perry">Empire State Building</a>.Most people would automatically assume that a penny tossed at such a height&nbsp;would be dangerous. However, the physical outcome of a penny falling from the sky and coming into contact with someone is pretty surprising.So, the big question is: could a penny kill you? No, and it probably wouldn't even hurt you. But the physics of falling pennies would still make for fascinating conversation at your next awkward dinner party.

What Would Happen If You Got Hit By A Penny Dropped From A Skyscraper?

What Would Happen If You Got Hit By A Penny Dropped From a Skyscraper?

Amber Fua

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.