Imagine a world where astronauts could fly to the moon, or explorers could roam the ocean depths in advanced submarines. Before airplanes, spaceships, submarines, or even practical light bulbs existed, one trailblazing author was writing epic adventures based on such futuristic concepts – and helping inspire their eventual creation.
From Law Student to Literary Legend
That author was Jules Verne, born in 1828 in the bustling port city of Nantes, France. Young Jules read classics ranging from James Fenimore Cooper to Victor Hugo, while writing his own poetry and travels stories for fun. After completing law school in 1849 to appease his father, Verne convinced his family to support him for two years in Paris to establish his writing career.
This leap of faith paid off quickly, as Verne made key publishing contacts and saw his first works printed in magazines in 1851. His first book, about a Scottish emigre‘s escapades in India, got published as a serial in 1856. While gaining modest attention, Verne honed his talents until hitting the big time with 1863‘s Five Weeks in a Balloon. That bestselling adventure launched his prolific career as one of history‘s most translated and enduringly popular authors.
Prescient Sci-Fi Classics That Inspired Generations
Verne quickly followed up with his acclaimed Voyages Extraordinaires series throughout the 1860s and 70s. These books featured rip-roaring expeditions enhanced with imaginative vehicles and technologies that would shape both literary sci-fi and real-world innovation for generations.
Some of his most renowned works included:
| Title | Year | Futuristic Elements Predicted |
|---|---|---|
| Journey to the Center of the Earth | 1864 | – Electric lighting and gear – Prehistoric creatures underground |
| From the Earth to the Moon | 1865 | – Multistage rockets – Retrorockets controlling descent |
| 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea | 1870 | – Electric submarines with oxygen systems and underwater searchlights – Marine research vessel platform |
| Around the World in 80 Days | 1873 | – Globetrotting via trains, steamships scheduled like clockwork |
In these tales, Verne created technological wonder and daring exploits beyond anything attempted. Yet he kept the stories tantalizingly plausible using real math, science, and engineering precedents. This grounded extrapolation let readers indulge dreams of exploring the poles, ocean depths, or even space flight years before humanity achieved them.
Inspiring Explorers, Scientists and Innovators
Indeed, many key pioneers directly credited Verne for motivating their barrier-breaking work. Simon Lake developed the first practical submarine after being "thrilled by Jules Verne‘s 20,000 Leagues [as] a young boy." NASA rocket scientist Robert Goddard called Verne and H.G. Wells "my own inspirational ‘fathers‘ from whose works I learned."
Victorian balloonist Gaston Tissandier consulted with Verne on atmospheric observations in Five Weeks in a Balloon, while the book inspired advanced gas balloon designs for decades after. Its statue-revealing volcano also foreshadowed 1902‘s real-life eruption uncovering lost Pompeii relics. Captain Nemo‘s ingenious gear let Verne envision electric lights, scuba gear, and photography advances years ahead of his time.
Even towards his later years, Verne‘s stories continued predicting key innovations. 1886‘s Robur the Conqueror featured a working heavier-than-air ship, and 1889‘s "In the Year 2889" described a global communications network remarkably similar to the internet.
Still Influencing Pop Culture and Innovators Today
Beyond directly inspiring pioneers in his era, Verne‘s works became integral to both literary science fiction and Hollywood pop culture. Generations of authors like Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov traced their sci-fi passions back to discovering Verne‘s Voyages as children. Verne‘s descendants keep his legacy alive too – great-grandson Jean Jules Verne wrote a "Back to the Moon" novel in 2005.
On screen, directors from Georges Méliès to Steven Spielberg have adapted Verne‘s works into hundreds of iconic films over the past century. James Cameron cited 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea as his explicit muse when directing underwater sci-fi epics from The Abyss to Titanic to Avatar. Look closely when SpaceX rockets nail upright landings – we have Verne‘s perfected lunar cannon trajectory from From Earth to the Moon to thank!
Jules Verne expanded minds across oceans and opened readers to new worlds of imagination fractionally beyond our reach. In so doing, his pioneering stories inspired the very pioneers and visionaries who would achieve such feats, cementing Verne as the godfather of grounded scientific possibility. Verne‘s wondrous tales will guide curious souls seeking the next horizon for generations to come!
