Holding a Ph.D in Physical Biology and author of widely cited articles in the fields of Environmental Science, Chemistry and Cancer Research, he has lecturered at MIT, Cornell, the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine and the WHO.

During a trip to Mexico and Guatemala in 1979 he became aware of the enormous hidden potential of the Mayan calendar for helping us understand the meaning of human existence. This insight led Carl to dedicate himself to understanding the Mayan calendar. This includes books on consciousness shifts to a new theory about biological evolution. His three books have been translated into fourteen languages.

The Paradigm Shift Trilogy in 2014, with The Global Mind and the Rise of Civilization, draws on his collective experiences. The trilogy explores the aspects of the relationship between brain and mind and how it relates to the rise of early civilizations of our planet. He is convinced that rigorous science is needed to bring about a paradigm shift, which allows humanity to live up to its spiritual destiny.