Science and technology have become very diverse and complicated since those (relatively) early times. As much as it is possible that some brilliant mind makes a technological breakthrough anyway, most of the developments might be by the people who have dedicated some time to formal education about the basics of the studied field. These days, at least.
All those people mentioned above have been dead for a while. They might have lead the world forward in technical fields without formal education at the time when there was no formal education.
Was there a College of Automotive Sciences in 1878?
All those people mentioned above have been dead for a while. They might have lead the world forward in technical fields without formal education at the time when there was no formal education.
"Gottlieb Daimler Inventor of the Motorcycle and Automobile (was a gunsmith)"
Was there a College of Automotive Sciences in 1878?
"Howard Hughes with Lockheed (was not an aeronautical engineer)"
He might have been smarter than thinking he could do it all...
"He hoped to hire Lockheed to design a revolutionary aircraft capable of comfortably shuttling 20 passengers and 6,000 pounds of cargo across the United States, offering commercial aviation’s first coast-to-coast, non-stop service."
"Hughes outlined the initial performance specifications, but it was Lockheed that would design the sleek, distinctive, now-iconic aircraft."
How the Constellation Became the Star of the Skies | Lockheed Martin