Forrest Mims has been interested in electronics since he was 11 years old, when he built a one-tube radio kit. After graduating from Texas A&M University in 1966 and serving in Vietnam as a photo intelligence officer, he experimented for three years at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in New Mexico, where he worked with high-powered lasers, solid-state sensors, and trained monkeys. He's produced hundreds of magazine pieces and scholarly papers since becoming a full-time writer in 1970. His columns and essays have appeared in almost every major electronics publication, including Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics, and Modern Electronics. His contributions on various scientific themes have appeared in National Geographic World, Science Digest, Highlights for Children, and Scientific American, among other journals.

His editorial escapades include being assigned by the National Enquirer to assess the feasibility of laser spying on Howard Hughes (which was possible, but Read More chevron_right

Forrest Mims has been interested in electronics since he was 11 years old, when he built a one-tube radio kit. After graduating from Texas A&M University in 1966 and serving in Vietnam as a photo intelligence officer, he experimented for three years at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory in New Mexico, where he worked with high-powered lasers, solid-state sensors, and trained monkeys. He's produced hundreds of magazine pieces and scholarly papers since becoming a full-time writer in 1970. His columns and essays have appeared in almost every major electronics publication, including Popular Electronics, Radio-Electronics, and Modern Electronics. His contributions on various scientific themes have appeared in National Geographic World, Science Digest, Highlights for Children, and Scientific American, among other journals.

His editorial escapades include being assigned by the National Enquirer to assess the feasibility of laser spying on Howard Hughes (which was possible, but Forrest declined to participate) and being fired as the Amateur Scientist columnist by Scientific American after admitting to the magazine's editors that he was a born-again Christian. His book sales are in the millions, and he is arguably the world's most widely read electronics author.