1898: One of the most frightening aspects of the Martian invasion is when they master the concept of flight, giving them the ability to spread their dominance across the globe.

Today: Humans have been able to fly since the Wright Brothers were able to attain lift-off at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in 1903.

1898: Wells presents interplanetary travel as being a matter of a canister projected from Mars to Earth like a bullet from a gun.

Today: Humanity understands the principles of rocket propulsion well enough to explore the far reaches of our solar system.

1898: In the novel, Wells describes lakes of water on Mars, visible through telescopes.

Today: For a long time, theories about Martian water have been discredited as a misinterpretation of the visible data; however, in recent years, probes on the surface of Mars have determined that there is in fact significant water.

1898: The...