Science Marches On: Completely subverted. The science in the novel is not cockeyed because of the time period it was written in, but rather because Verne was guided by Rule of Cool. He knew that the "science" was laughable, and continually lampshades it, with Axel explaining why what they're doing should be completely impossible while his uncle refuses to listen. Axel's explanations are based on the latest 19th century theories of geology, and they actually stand up pretty well; indeed, in the final chapter, he states that he sees no reason to consider the stuff they find anything but localized exceptions.
