Fictional spaceships are often much more advanced. For example, they can travel faster than light in many stories like in 'Star Wars' with the hyperdrive. Real - life spacecraft are limited by current technology and can't achieve such speeds. Also, fictional spaceships can be huge and have all kinds of amenities. Think of the USS Enterprise which has many decks and facilities for its crew. In contrast, real - life spacecraft are relatively small and cramped.
Well, spaceships in fiction can have capabilities like time travel. The TARDIS in 'Doctor Who' is a prime example. It can go to different points in time and space. Real - life spacecraft don't have such abilities. Fictional spaceships also seem to have an endless supply of resources. They don't seem to worry about running out of fuel or supplies as much as real - life spacecraft do. And the interiors of fictional spaceships are often very elaborate and can be like small cities, while real - life spacecraft interiors are designed for very specific and often very limited purposes.
Real - life spacecraft are much more limited in terms of speed and capabilities compared to those in science fiction. For example, we don't have warp drives yet.
In science fiction, spaceships are often designed to be much larger and more complex. For example, the Battlestar Galactica is huge and has all kinds of advanced weaponry and technology that we don't have in real - life spacecraft.
Fictional aircraft are frequently designed with a much greater emphasis on aesthetics. The Batwing in 'Batman' has a very sleek and cool design that is more about looking badass than practical aerodynamics. Real - life aircraft are designed mainly for efficiency and safety. Also, fictional aircraft can break the laws of physics more easily. The flying broomsticks in 'Harry Potter' like the Nimbus 2000 don't follow the same principles of lift and thrust as real airplanes. They operate based on magic, which is of course not a factor in real - life aviation. Moreover, fictional aircraft can often be customized to an extreme degree for the specific needs of the hero or the story, such as the X - Wing in 'Star Wars' which has been modified in different ways throughout the series.
Science - fiction animals often have unique physical features. For example, the Xenomorph has an exoskeleton which is very different from the soft skins or furs of most real animals. They also tend to have extreme abilities. Like the Sandworms in 'Dune' which can be incredibly large and move through the sand in a way no real - life animal can.
In science fiction, travels can be instantaneous or at least much faster than real - life. For example, in 'Star Wars', spaceships can make the jump to hyperspace and cover vast distances quickly. In real life, space travel is extremely slow. Also, in science fiction, travelers can often journey through time as well as space, like in 'Back to the Future', which is not possible in our current understanding of physics. Another difference is the variety of destinations. Science fiction can take us to alien planets with unimaginable environments, while real - life travels are mostly limited to Earth and our nearby celestial bodies.
In real life, relationships are often messy and complex. There are bills to pay, work stress, and family drama. In fiction, relationships can be idealized. For example, in a romance novel, the couple might have a perfect first meeting and no real disagreements. In real relationships, it takes a lot of effort to communicate and understand each other.
In science fiction, forests can have things that real - life forests don't. Like trees that are made of metal or can move on their own. Real - life forests are made of normal biological organisms, but in sci - fi, forests might be a mix of biological and mechanical elements.
In science fiction, melee weapons often have extraordinary abilities. For example, lightsabers can cut through blast doors, while real - world swords can't do that. Also, some science - fiction melee weapons are energy - based, like the energy blades in Halo, which don't exist in the real world.
In fiction, pregnant birth stories can be more dramatic. For example, in a fictional story, a woman might give birth during a natural disaster like a hurricane, which is less common in real life. Fiction allows for such extreme situations to create more excitement.
Species in exotic science fiction often have abilities that are far beyond what real - life species possess. For example, some can fly without any visible means of propulsion, like the Moya crew in 'Farscape'. Real - life species are bound by the laws of nature we know, but in science fiction, these species can break those rules.