Photo: Original by Andy Miah (Minor non-creditable changes by Ubcule) / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jim Al-Khalili was born on September 20, 1962 in Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. Public records list Jim Al-Khalili as a science communicator, non-fiction writer and theoretical physicist. That works out to 63 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes University of Surrey. Listed accolades include Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Kelvin Prize (2011), Fellow of the Royal Society (2018) and 5 more.
My Take
Jim Al-Khalili is, to me, a model of what a public intellectual should be. Born in Baghdad and now a theoretical physicist at Surrey, he does the genuinely hard thing: translating quantum reality into language a curious listener can actually follow on BBC radio and television. The honours, Fellow of the Royal Society, the Faraday Prize, the Stephen Hawking Medal, confirm that he excels at both research and outreach. What I respect most is his refusal to hide behind jargon. He proves that real expertise and warm, accessible communication are not rivals but partners, and that science belongs to everyone.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jim Al-Khalili
- Name (Japanese)
- ジム・アルカリーリ
- Reading
- じむ・あるかりーり
- Born
- September 20, 1962 (age 63)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Tiger
- Origin
- Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq
- Occupation
- physicist / science communicator / non-fiction writer / theoretical physicist / television presenter
2. Background
- University
- University of Surrey
Awards & achievements
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 2011 Kelvin Prize
- 2018 Fellow of the Royal Society
- 2007 Michael Faraday Prize
- Fellow of the Institute of Physics
- 2016 Stephen Hawking Medal For Science Communication
- IET Kelvin Lecture
- 2015 honorary doctorate
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Life Scientific | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.jimal-khalili.com
- Xhttps://x.com/jimalkhalili
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim%20Al-Khalili
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259054
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jim Al-Khalili born?
Born September 20, 1962 (age 63).
Where is Jim Al-Khalili from?
Jim Al-Khalili is from Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq.
What does Jim Al-Khalili do?
Jim Al-Khalili works as physicist, science communicator, non-fiction writer, theoretical physicist, television presenter.
What is Jim Al-Khalili known for?
Notable works include The Life Scientific.