Jules Verne (1828-1905), French author, who is regarded as the founder of modern science fiction. He was born in Nantes, studied law in Paris, and from 1848 until 1863 wrote opera librettos and plays. In 1863 he achieved his first real success with the publication of Cinq Semaines en ballon (Five Weeks in a Balloon, 1869), a short fantasy that anticipated his later work.

Verne rode a wave of 19th-century interest in science and invention to enormous popular favour. Laying a carefully documented scientific foundation for his fantastic adventure stories, he forecast with remarkable accuracy many scientific achievements of the 20th century. He anticipated flights into outer space, submarines, helicopters, air conditioning, guided missiles, and motion pictures long before they were developed. Among his most popular books are Voyage au centre de la terre (1864; trans. 1874), From the Earth to the Moon (1865; trans. 1873), Vingt mille lieues sous la mer (1870; trans. 1873), Mysterious Island (1870; trans. 1875), and La Tour du monde en quatre-vingt jours (1872; trans. 1873). Beginning with A Trip to the Moon, by the pioneer French film director Georges Méliès, Verne's works have been the source of many films. He was awarded twice with the Légion d'Honneur, as a chevalier in 1870 and an officer in 1892.