6 movies and shows that called in real scientists to make sure they got things right

You probably wouldn't guess it, but the people behind some of your favorite movies and TV shows - even some of the ones that seem the least tied to reality - might have consulted a scientist in an attempt to keep things (sort of) realistic.

A program run by the National Academy of Sciences, The Exchange is a hotline (844-NEED-SCI) that screenwriters can call when they want help with the science in a script - any script.

Sure, some superhero movies can get pretty outlandish, but The Exchange's program director Rick Loverd told Tech Insider that their philosophy isn't about restricting scripts to reality - the science is there to inspire.

"Superman can leap tall buildings in a single bound. That's the character; you have to roll with that," he said. "But then within the world, now let's start to have that more interesting discussion about how you can ground that story in something that is in reality."

Scientists from The Exchange have consulted on an impressive number of blockbuster movies like Big Hero 6, The Amazing Spiderman, The Avengers, Battleship, Iron Man 2, Prometheus, and Tron: Legacy. They've also helped with TV shows including Castle, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, The Good Wife, and House.

Loverd told us about six projects The Exchange consulted on and shared specific examples of exactly what kind of scientific assistance was provided.