Science celebrities are a bit like the number 49 bus: They come by once in a blue moon.In the UK, there is Brian Cox (dubbed the ‘Peter Andre of science’) who is doing his damndest to make science cool. Heaven knows who is the science poster-boy (or girl) in the USA is. In Australia, there is Dr Karl:

A prolific book writer, radio and TV presenter, Dr Karl was awarded the Ig Nobel prize in 2002 for his groundbreaking research into belly button fluff(!) He is Australia’s 10th ‘most trusted’ person and boasts more qualifications than you could shake a didgeridoo at: medical doctor, engineer, physicist and mathematician – he’s probably the closest thing there is to a polymath this side of the 20^th Century.

His latest book “Curious and Curiouser” is a delightfully light-hearted and irreverent look at the wonders of science in the everyday world. The opening chapter ‘Beer Goggles’ (explaining why people look more attractive after drinking alcohol) sets the tone of things to come. The mysteries of hand-washing, cow flatulence and spontaneous human combustion are explored and exploded in quick-fire, easily digestible chapters.

Most books I own sit on my shelves, mostly unread – a testament to my pitifully poor attention span. Dr Karl Kruszelnicki’s (you definitely don’t want to say that after alcohol) writing is interspersed by entertaining cartoons and information boxes offering extra tit-bits and anecdotes. There are no long, ponderous chapters here; the book’s style is amusing and has a page-turning quality reminiscent of a Dan Brown novel.

Given that recent research shows most of us are oblivious to most scientific discoveries, Dr Karl’s highly accessible book is without question doing the scientific world a great service – communicating science in a fun way and breaking down the ‘stuffy’ scientist stereotype.

Dr Karl’s ‘Curious and Curiouser’ is an entertaining and informative read for any inquisitive mind and presumes no prior scientific know-how. Better still, after reading you’ll be able fascinate your mates down the pub by revealing how you can tell whether the kids have really been peeing in the pool…