As extraterrestrial spacecraft approach Earth, humanity learns that they are not alone in the universe. The aliens are technologically far superior to the inhabitants of Earth and quickly make it clear: they do not come in peace. When the invasion of Earth begins, a war breaks out in which the survival of all humanity is at stake. The War of the Worlds is one of H. G. Wells' most famous works. First published in 1898, this novel about the invasion of Earth by aliens remains culturally and literarily significant nearly 120 years later and has influenced numerous fictional works—from Orson Welles' famous radio play in 1938 to modern interpretations like Jeff Wayne's The Musical Version of The War of the Worlds and Roland Emmerich's Independence Day.