It inspired more stories about the potential dangers from outer space in a scientific way. Writers started to think more about how real science could be used to create threats and solutions in their stories, like how 'The Andromeda Strain' did with the alien microbe.
The Andromeda Strain had a profound influence on the hard science fiction genre. It showed that science fiction could be both exciting and intellectually stimulating. It made readers more interested in the scientific concepts presented. This led to other authors exploring similar themes of scientific investigation, the impact of unknown biological agents, and the role of human ingenuity in the face of such threats. It also influenced the way future science fiction stories were structured, with a focus on the scientific method and the real - world implications of scientific discovery.
It set a high standard for scientific accuracy. After it, many hard science fiction works also aimed to base their stories on real scientific knowledge.