Karl Kruszelnicki is an Australian science broadcaster, author and communicator.
Dr Karl, as he’s more commonly known, has worked to popularise and demystify science on the ABC and BBC for many years. He is well known for being the host of a weekly science talk-back program on the youth radio network Triple J, with so many calls coming in each week the switchboard often crashed. His media career spans more than 30 years and he is the author of more than 45 books to date with more planned. He is one of Australia's 100 National Living Treasures.
Karl Kruszelnicki used to be, in his words, a "proper pukka scientist, engineer and doctor". His media career began in 1981 when he started presenting Great Moments In Science on the ABC to pay his way through medical school. He is currently the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at Sydney University, where his mission is to spread the good word about science and its benefits.
Away from the media, he has worked as a physicist, labourer, roadie for bands (including Bo Diddley), car mechanic, filmmaker, hospital scientific officer, biomedical engineer (where he designed and built a machine to pick up electrical signals from the human retina), TV weatherman, and medical doctor at The Kids Hospital in Sydney. In 2012, Asteroid 18412 was named the Kruszelnicki asteroid in his honour and in 2019 The United Nations awarded Dr Karl the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularisation of Science.
Karl Kruszelnicki was Margaret Throsby’s guest in 2014, talking about his life, career and his latest book at that time House Of Karls.
On his Ignoble Prize for ground-breaking research into belly button lint:
"Women have less belly button fluff than men."
On running for senate in 2007:
"I was deeply unsuccessful."
On his success:
"There’s enough success for everybody in the world you should never cheat to achieve it."
Karl Kruszelnicki's music choices
Johann Paul Von Westhoff: "Imitazione delle campane" from Sonata III
Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin / Simon Halsey. Daniel Hope (violin)
Pergolesi: "Stabat Mater Dolorosa" from Stabat Mater
Academy of Ancient Music / Christopher Hogwood. Emma Kirkby (soprano), James Bowman (counter-tenor)
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G, BWV 1048: I. Allegro
Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields / Sir Neville Marriner
Beethoven: Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major, Op. 69: II. Scherzo. Allegro molto
Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) and Sviatoslav Richter (piano)
Mozart: "Introitus" from Requiem in D Minor
Academy of Ancient Music and Westminster Cathedral Choir / Christopher Hogwood