Recommendations in the realm of Sci-Fi? Well, as far as books go, the works of Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Frank Herbert are all very good. Early Orson Scott Card is also good, before he got self-indulgent and started using his books for his personal political screeds. Ursula K. Leguin's Left Hand of Darkness is excellent, and is practically one-half of the inspiration for Simoun.

As for stuff to watch, there's Martian Successor Nadesico, Outlaw Star, Trigun, Macross, all fine animes, though naturally the science there is a bit...soft.