24 Facts About Karl Kruszelnicki

Karl Kruszelnicki was born in Helsingborg, Sweden, to Polish parents, Rina and Ludwik.

Karl Kruszelnicki's background was hidden from him for a long time, with his mother having told him that she was Swedish and a Lutheran but she was, in fact, Polish and Jewish.

Karl Kruszelnicki said his childhood as a refugee in Wollongong was difficult, and he was bullied at school; he said "anybody who was not an Irish Catholic was considered an outsider".

Karl Kruszelnicki found an escape in the Wollongong Library, where he became interested in science fiction.

Karl Kruszelnicki attended Edmund Rice Christian Brothers College in Wollongong, New South Wales.

In 1980, Karl Kruszelnicki was awarded a Master of Biomedical Engineering degree at the University of New South Wales.

Karl Kruszelnicki completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees at Sydney University in 1986.

Karl Kruszelnicki worked as a filmmaker, car mechanic, TV weatherman and as roadie for Slim Dusty, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry.

Karl Kruszelnicki designed a machine to test the strength of steel made for use in Melbourne's West Gate Bridge, which was under construction at the time.

Karl Kruszelnicki commenced his degree in medicine at the University of Sydney at the age of 32, graduating in 1986.

Karl Kruszelnicki presented the first series of Quantum in 1985.

Karl Kruszelnicki's hour-long show on ABC radio station Triple J has been going on in one form or another since 1981; this weekly science talkback show is broadcast on Thursday mornings from 11:00 am to midday and attracts up to 300,000 listeners; it is available as a podcast.

Karl Kruszelnicki often helps with other science and education Triple J promotions such as the Sleek Geek Week roadshow with Adam Spencer and Caroline Pegram.

For many years, until March 2020, Karl Kruszelnicki appeared on a live weekly late-night link-up on BBC Radio 5 Live's Up All Night, usually with Rhod Sharp, answering science questions.

Karl Kruszelnicki has written for the Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend magazine.

Karl Kruszelnicki was an unsuccessful candidate for the Australian Senate in the 2007 Australian federal election.

Karl Kruszelnicki was placed number two on the Climate Change Coalition ticket in New South Wales.

In 2015, Karl Kruszelnicki appeared in an Australian Government advertising campaign for the recently published intergenerational report.

Karl Kruszelnicki met his wife Mary in his first year of medical school.

Karl Kruszelnicki has prosopagnosia, meaning he lacks the ability to recognise faces.

Karl Kruszelnicki puts the cause of his condition down to having an unhappy, lonely childhood, saying that it impeded the development of the part of his brain responsible for remembering faces.

Karl Kruszelnicki received the Australian Father of the Year award in 2003.

In 2012, Karl Kruszelnicki was named as a National Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia.

In 2012, Main-belt asteroid 18412 Karl Kruszelnicki was named in his honour.