[gregebowman]

Some authors have PhD's, and you can actually learn a thing or two while reading the sci-fi books. Even Michael Crichton books seem plausible, given the science (maybe except for Timeline, although I'd love to see a time machine in action). The only reason I didn't pursue my interest in astronomy was because I didn't want to take physics and the higher math courses. I barely passed basic algebra. I can't imagine trying to do calculus or trigonometry.