Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: AKároly Than akaberekerwa muÓbecse, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire (nhasi Bečej, Serbia). Akamisa dzidzo yake ndokujoina uto reHungary mu
hondo yerusununguko 1848 pazera remakore 14. Pakudzoka kwake, akawana amai vake vakafa uye baba vake vaparadzwa. Pane kushanda mumakemikari anoverengeka kuti awane mari yokupedza dzidzo yake. Pashure pokuenda kuchikoro muSzeged, Than akatanga kudzidza mushonga uye gare gare kemisitiri paYunivhesiti yeVienna. Akagamuchira PhD yake nokuda kwebasa naJosef Redtenbacher muna 1858. Pashure pokunge ashanda kwenguva yakati somubatsiri waRedtenbacher, akaenda kunodzidza naRobert Bunsen paUniversity of Heidelberg uye naCharles-Adolphe Wurtz paUniversity of Paris. Paakadzokera kuRedtenbacher muna 1859, akashanda semudzidzisi paYunivhesiti yeVienna.