How well do you know H.G. Wells? Test your knowledge of the life and works of one of the fathers of science fiction today, his 143rd birthday.

H.G. Wells landed on Earth 143 years ago today, yet the "father of science fiction" forged worlds that in many ways seem strangely familiar today. Welcome to the future.

Want a gorgeous garden? Just add pee, according to a new study that says nitrogen-rich urine and magnesium-rich ash work together to form a powerful—and cheap—fertilizer.

A mini-magnetosphere around the moon Ganymede joins volcanic material from the moon Io as the likely drivers of huge auroras that dance across Jupiter's poles, new research says.

Dozens of whales mysteriously come ashore in Argentina, one of the world's oldest synagogues is found in Israel, and protesters clash with water cannons in Germany in this week's best news photos.

The official world's tallest man is an eight-foot-one-inch (246-centimeter) 27-year-old from Turkey, Guinness World Records announced today. A pituitary tumor had caused his gigantism. Video

The station's 56-foot arm will capture a free-floating Japanese cargo ship in a tricky maneuver that could affect the ultimate lifespan of the orbiting outpost, experts say.

A single injection of specialized genes has cured color-blindness in monkeys, a new study says. The same procedure would have cured color-blind humans, one scientist believes.

A black hole "pumps" iron, space junk litters Earth's orbit, the Milky Way stars in a new panorama, and more in the week's best space pictures.

Authorities are using a robotic submarine to investigate whether the Mafia dumped "hundreds" of radioactive-waste barrels into the sea off Italy.Video.

A tempest raging on Saturn since mid-January is the longest-lasting lightning storm ever detected in our solar system, astronomers say.

Whether by "earth spirits," UFOs, or advertisers, crop circles have been spinning up speculation since the 1970s—and perhaps never more than now, thanks to Google.

Who—or what—made the first crop circles? What shape proves that at least some crop circles are human made? Test your knowledge of these uncanny artworks.

Strange crop circles have again materialized overnight. But this time they're on Google's home page, prompting speculation that rivals the real things for mystery.

A "green" technology company has developed jewel-toned solar panels that capture different parts of the sun's light spectrum and don't need direct sunlight to work, the company says. Video.