A craftsman without formal schooling rose to challenge Helmholtz’s authority.

Evidence

Koenig became one of the best researchers in acoustics, at first refining and supporting Helmholtz’s ideas. Later, he became Helmholtz’s strongest and most effective critic, often using devices of his own design, remarkable considering Helmholtz’s stature and the fact that Koenig was not formally educated beyond secondary school. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 2309

Categorization

• CANDY: Great cocktail-party fact: the man who took on Helmholtz’s theory of hearing never finished college.