I know this is probably a common topic. For me, I’m not sure if it’s a “trope” or just totally misinformed writing, but it’s how many authors approach alcoholism. Some examples are Girl on the Train and The House Across the Lake, among HUNDREDS. If anyone else here has struggled with alcoholism, you know it’s not just "i woke up after downing an entire bottle of whiskey but was able to shower, down a cup of coffee, and solve a murder. "
There needs to be a new category between the two where the author goes to some lengths to make things feel scientifically plausible, but still doesn’t let themselves be limited by what’s actually possible. Eg Peter Watts, Alastair Reynolds.
I guess we could call it “chewy sci-fi”
I literally threw my copy of Absolution Gap across the room at one point. I love Alastair Reynolds, but the last two books in the revelation space series just threw all hard sci-fi restrictions out the window and it was magic quantum tech after perpetual motion machine for the rest of the story. Hell of an anticlimactic ending too. (Galactic North was good though.)
Speculation about science and technology is ok imo. If you extrapolate from experiments and observations we do today you can take some liberties. Especially if it’s not foundational to the plot or themes, and consistent within the book.
(I would argue e.g. Blindsight (Watts) can be labeled hard sci-fi.)