“What is a woman?” is a question that has proven to be bizarrely difficult to answer for many people in our culture. Here’s another good one: “What is a scientist?” Is it necessarily someone with a PhD from an accredited academic institution in one or more of the following academic disciplines and sub-disciplines… (you name them all if you can). Well, was Charles Darwin, who lacked such a degree, not a scientist then? Maybe there’s a streamlined answer, offered by Andrew McDiarmid in introducing an interview with Forrest Mims, a Fellow with the Center for Science and Culture and author of Maverick Scientist: My Adventures as an Amateur Scientist. Asks McDiarmid, “What does it take to be a scientist? For Forrest Mims, the answer is simple: you just have to do science.”

“Not the Exclusive Domain of PhDs”

It’s hard to argue with that. Now, Mims has received a very fine review of his recent book at the popular climate news site Watts Up with That? Writes the eponymous author Anthony Watts:

Maverick Scientist is an inspiring read for anyone who believes in the power of independent inquiry. It’s particularly relevant for those of us who question the prevailing narratives in climate science and other politically charged scientific fields. Mims embodies the spirit of open, empirical research — something that has been increasingly sidelined in favor of institutional control and politically convenient conclusions.

His book is also a reminder that science is not the exclusive domain of PhDs working at government-funded institutions. Some of the most important discoveries have come from those outside the establishment — Galileo, Tesla, and now, in the modern era, independent researchers like Mims. His story is a call to action for amateur scientists, skeptics, and anyone willing to challenge dogma with data.

Mims’ Maverick Scientist is a refreshing and necessary book at a time when scientific debate is too often stifled by institutional gatekeepers. It highlights the value of observational science, the dangers of ideological conformity, and the enduring power of curiosity-driven research.

The story of his LED photometer alone is worth the read — it’s a prime example of how simple, cost-effective scientific tools can provide critical data that challenges prevailing assumptions in climate science. That kind of empirical work, not speculative modeling, is what science should be built upon.

For those who believe that science should be a field of open inquiry rather than a rigid orthodoxy, this book is a must-read. It’s a tribute to independent thought, a critique of scientific elitism, and a guidebook for anyone who wants to pursue real science — regardless of credentials.

“Independent inquiry”: there’s a concept for you. Watts gives Maverick Scientist a rating of five out five stars. Very nice!