Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Dr Karl's Short Back & Science

Rate this book

Lean back and settle in for cutting-edge scientific snippets from the trend-setting Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.


In Short Back & Science, Dr Karl combs through some of the greatest scientific conundrums of our age, such as what is killing half the bacteria on Earth every two days and why don't mole rats get cancer? Why would anyone pay $40 million for a cup of tea, and how did a toilet seat help to end the First World War?


Are bananas really slippery, radioactive and loaded with potassium? What do clouds weigh? And why are there scientists running around naked in the Antarctic?


Brushing aside any hype about coconuts and antioxidants, there is no one better to trim down to the facts than Australia's most trusted scientist, Dr Karl.


This is a specially formatted fixed layout ebook that retains the look and feel of the print book.

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2015

8 people are currently reading
82 people want to read

About the author

Karl Kruszelnicki

53 books173 followers
Known popularly as Dr Karl.

Karl has degrees in Physics and Maths, Biomedical Engineering, Medicine and Surgery and has worked as a physicist, tutor, film-maker, car mechanic, labourer, and as a medical doctor at the Kids' Hospital in Sydney.

In 1995 he took up the position of the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at Sydney University, spreading the good word about science and its benefits.

His enthusiasm for science is totally infectious and no one is better able to convey the excitement and wonder of it all than Dr Karl Kruszelnicki is.

Dr Karl's Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) site:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/

http://www.abc.net.au/profiles/conten...

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
36 (32%)
4 stars
38 (34%)
3 stars
30 (27%)
2 stars
6 (5%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
9 reviews
June 29, 2017
I don't think I was the target audience for this book.
Profile Image for Paul.
55 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2016
Thanks Dr Karl, very entertaining & informative as usual. Hi Kenz
Profile Image for Tori.
362 reviews36 followers
December 18, 2017
So I finally finished this book ... I love science so I don't know why it took me so long to get here but I did and now I am equip with some fabulous new fun facts to whip out
207 reviews6 followers
December 28, 2015
3/5 stars

Like the other two of Kruszelnicki's works that I have read, Dr Karl's Short Back & Science is filled with puns, cliches, jokes, and interesting information regarding science, usually science relating to questions that most people wouldn't think to ask, or science related to popular culture. (And, yes, I'm referring to the chapter dedicated to February 2015's #TheDress with "the science related to popular culture".)

There isn't really anything particularly wrong with this novel; it is enjoyable and fulfills its purpose.

I do plan on continuing to read more of Kruszelnicki's books in the future.
Profile Image for Janet.
267 reviews4 followers
April 2, 2016
Dr Karl makes science fun, straightforward and very very interesting. This book is no different - taking such topics as radiation, antioxcidents, banana skins and phages.

Great book - well written and good illustrations.

Well worth the read - should have read it before I bought the Coconut oil!!!!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.