THE STORY OF US
THE POPULAR SCIENCE GURU AND HIS OTHER HALF ON LOVE, MARRIAGE AND THE CURIOUS SIDE OF LIFE
He’s been voted the ninth most trusted person in the nation, has been officially declared a National Living Treasure and even has an asteroid named in his honour. We’re talking, of course, about legendary Australian scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM!
And we can be sure that for Dr Karl’s wife Dr Mary Dobbie, life is never dull with the beloved author and commentator.
Mary, a GP with a special interest in women’s health, met Karl in 1981 when they were both studying medicine at The University of Sydney.
“My mother’s version of our love story is that I came home on the first day of uni and said, ‘There’s this really strange guy with odd socks and really short shorts!’” says Mary. “My mother swears that was the time she knew I was in love with Karl, even though we hadn’t started going out yet. But Karl was very distinctive at uni – he was certainly a conspicuous person in the class!”
And, as Mary adds with a laugh, her husband is “definitely still distinctive”.
What was Dr Karl’s first impression of Mary?
“She had really amazing teeth and an amazing bright personality and integrity,” he replies, adding, “and, unfairly, Mary’s teeth are still just as good, while mine are not!”
While the couple’s relationship quickly got serious, with the pair becoming parents to their three children, they were in no rush to head down the aisle.
In fact, Dr Karl reveals, it wasn’t until he was in India that he decided to pop the question while phoning home – only for the line to drop out at that precise moment.
“I was left totally confused,” recalls a laughing Mary. “We had been together a long time, we had three children and Karl was a hippie from way back. Marriage was the ‘M’ word and I also had no plans to get married.
“But that time in India was one of those life-changing experiences for Karl. It became this symbolic turning point where he wanted to lock in this ceremony. In the end, he was so keen to get married that I thought that, if I didn’t say yes, he would actually marry someone else!” she quips.
Fortunately, on June 20, 2006, the couple exchanged vows. Needless to say, their nuptials were anything but typical.
“We got married inside the Arctic Circle in Norway,” says Dr Karl. “We specifically chose the longest day of that year as a scientific metaphor. So, in the same way that the sun did not set that day, the sun would also not set on our marriage. And at midnight on that day, the sun was still in the sky.”
As for the honeymoon, reveals Dr Karl, “We took Mary’s parents along.”
To which Mary explains: “I’m the only daughter in my family – I have five brothers. So my mother was very excited that, even after all those years, she finally got to be the mother of the bride. She was super happy.”
Over the years, Dr Karl has continued to spread the word on all things scientific. Not surprisingly, too, the couple’s children – Karl, 31, Alice,
29, and Lola, 21 – are very familiar with their father’s life-long mission.
“Karl used to put the kids to sleep by telling them stories about stem cells,” laughs Mary. “But science has always been a big part of all our lives.”
In fact, prolific author Dr Karl has just released his latest book – Dr Karl’s Random Road Trip Through Science. The large-format, full-colour book is packed with fascinating stories as well as clever illustrations.
“I’m up to book number 45 now and every one I write goes through the filter of Mary’s wonderful editing,” says
Dr Karl. “I’m very lucky.”