Herbert George "H.G." Wells (1866-1946) was a prolific English writer best known for his timeless science fiction novels, including The Time Machine, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and The War of the Worlds.

After winning a scholarship to the prestigious Normal School of Science in London, where he studied biology and helped found The Science School Journal, he became a teacher and embarked on an impressive literary career that resulted in four Nobel Prize nominations. Wells also wrote extensively on politics and social matters and was one of the foremost public intellectuals of his day.