For self-taught scientist Forrest Mims, curiosity inspired a successful career in science and technology, and more. On a new episode of ID the Future, I read an exclusive excerpt from Mims’s new memoir Maverick Scientist: My Adventures as an Amateur Scientist.

In 1907, Mims’s great-grandfather lost his eyesight in a train track construction accident. Captivated by the story as a child and amazed at his great-grandfather’s ability to listen to the proximity of objects around him on his walks, Mims later created a hand-held, radar-like device to help guide the blind. The invention led to many exciting career developments for Mims, who would go on to co-found a small technology startup that played an important role in kickstarting the personal computing era. 

In this excerpt from Maverick Scientist, Mims details his journey back to the site of his great-grandfather’s accident. With resourcefulness and good, old-fashioned scientific field work, Mims uncovers the full story of his ancestor’s mishap, allowing him to connect past and present and pay homage to the man who inspired a life-long pursuit of scientific work. Download the podcast or listen to it here.

Dig Deeper

• Get your own copy of Maverick Scientist today!
• Watch Part 1 of our interview with Forrest Mims about his new memoir: