This is one of the most highly debated subjects in the SF community. There are web-site dedicated to the controversy where you will find over 100 definitions.
One favoured definition is 'some interpolation or extrapolation on known reality.'
Science fiction uses science as a basis -- when you write "SciFi," your scientific facts must be accurate or plausible based on today's scientific knowledge. The only other form of fiction which must have solid facts underneath the story is historical fiction, which must be accurate for a certain time period.
Science fiction is a branch of fiction. Both are imaginary stories. Science fiction is fiction that deals with possibilities -- it must be based on science, but it is generally set in the future, in an alternate universe, in outer space, or in some other imaginary setting.
"The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham is considered science fiction due to its exploration of themes such as genetic mutation, evolution, and the consequences of scientific experimentation. The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic world where society is rigidly controlled, and the characters must navigate a world where differences are seen as mutations.
The book "The Girl Who Owned a City" is considered science fiction because it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a virus has wiped out the adult population. The story follows a young girl named Lisa who must navigate this new world and rally children to survive and rebuild society. This speculative setting and focus on scientific themes classify it as science fiction.
The Scorch Trials is dystopian science fiction. The people have been infected with a virus and must be able to get through the Scorch to be able to find a cure. Thomas and Theresa can communicate telepathically.
Interpolation or extrapolation upon known scientific facts or principles.
Essentially the English term for Science Fiction based on speculations such as, what if the Nazis won the European war? similar historical alternate realities. Unlike some forms of Science Fiction it must be essentially plausible given an alternate time line. One possibility might be, what if the Kennedy Assasination never happened?
Here are some links to help you. A science fiction story is just a story with scientific elements that are not available today.Here are some things to think about:science - without a good scientific basis, it's not a science fiction story - be sure you understand the science behind everything in your storytime - science fiction can be futuristic or historical, so long as the science in the story is not available to us nowcharacters - remember to create logical, believable characters that your readers will care aboutsetting - same with the setting, it must be believable whether it is set on an alternate Earth, on a starship, or a far planetgadgets - a lot of people think just changing guns to ray-guns or cars to flying cars makes a story into science fiction, but that's not true - the writer needs a firm understanding of science to make a good science fiction story, so do your research and learn all about whatever it is you'd like to write
This question cannot be answered because teleportation does not yet exist. It is science fiction fantasy.
Keith Laumer has written: 'The Ultimax Man' -- subject(s): Fiction in English, Life on other planets, Fiction 'The universe twister' -- subject(s): Imaginary societies, Fiction 'The other sky' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'Retief to the Rescue' 'Time Trap' -- subject(s): Fiction in English 'Imperium' -- subject(s): Fiction, Imaginary societies, Americans, Abduction, Imaginary wars and battles 'The great time machine hoax' -- subject(s): Time travel, Fiction 'Other Sky & House' 'How to design and build flying models' -- subject(s): Models, Airplanes 'The Return of Retief' -- subject(s): Retief (Fictitious character), Fiction 'it could be ANYTHING' -- subject(s): Fiction, Science Fiction, OverDrive 'Catastrophe planet' -- subject(s): Science fiction 'Nine by Laumer' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'The time bender' -- subject(s): Accessible book 'The other side of time' -- subject(s): Time travel, Fiction 'Earthblood & other stories' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'Retief and the Warlords' 'Retief unbound' 'Cold Steel' 'The stars must wait' 'Envoy to newworlds' 'The Galaxy Builder' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'Retief of the CDT' -- subject(s): Retief (Fictitious character), Fiction 'Night of delusions' -- subject(s): Fiction in English 'End As A Hero 27flcan' 'Retief! (A Collection of Stories)' 'Judson's Eden' 'Worlds of the Imperium' 'Bolo' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'The invaders' 'The world shuffler' 'The compleat bolo' 'Star colony' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'The Best of Keith Laumer' 'GREYLORN' -- subject(s): Fiction, Science Fiction, OverDrive 'Trace of Memory' 'The Return of Retief' 'Star Treasure' -- subject(s): Fiction in English 'The house in November ; The other sky' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'The other side of time' -- subject(s): Protected DAISY 'The house in November' -- subject(s): Protected DAISY 'Earthblood' -- subject(s): Fiction in English 'The Monitors' -- subject(s): Science fiction 'Worlds of the Imperium' 'Retief to the rescue' -- subject(s): American Science fiction, Retief (Fictitious character), Fiction 'The time bender' -- subject(s): Science fiction 'The Ultimax Man' 'Galactic odyssey' -- subject(s): Accessible book 'Star Colony 24fl' 'Future imperfect' -- subject(s): American Science fiction 'Retief's Ransom' -- subject(s): Retief (Fictitious character), Fiction 'Beyond the Imperium' 'End as a Hero' 'Retief' -- subject(s): Retief (Fictitious character), Fiction 'Researching Your Market'
Here are some elements that make a story science fiction:Time: story is set in the future, an alternate timeline, or an alternate historySpace: story is set on another planet, in another dimension, in outer space, or somewhere else that is possible, such as underneath the planet's surface or underwaterCharacters: story includes characters such as robots, aliens, mutants, or cybernetic humansTechnology: story includes technology beyond what we have today, such as wrap drives, plasma weapons, teleportation devices, or human-computer interfaces.Science: story includes science that is beyond what we know today, or that contradicts what we know todaySocial: story included political, cultural, or social situations which would create or sustain any of the above (such as post-apocalypse, dystopias, or utopias)Paranormal: story includes super-human abilities such as telepathy, telekinesis, or mind control.Here is a link to the entire WikiPedia article about the elements of science fiction.
You didn't say what genre you're worried about! For example, when writing science fiction, you must have your science facts in place or your story will fall apart and the readers will brand you a fake and not read your stories again. With mysteries, you have to provide a hard enough puzzle without it being totally insolvable. And with historical fiction, you have to have your history facts right.