[JadeNB]

> It might be just me, but I think reading hard sci-fi is much more educational and memorable, not to mention entertaining, than non fiction.

Memorable and entertaining seem very likely, but I think one has to be extremely careful with one's sci-fi that what one remembers is real science rather than just what makes for good fiction—there's often a tension, and even a very scientifically literate author can, and probably should, opt for the one that makes for good fiction.