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The author of Skulls in the Stars is a professor of physics, specializing in optical science, at UNC Charlotte. The blog covers topics in physics and optics, the history of science, classic pulp fantasy and horror fiction, and the surprising intersections between these areas. -
Monthly Archives: November 2021
The Elixir of Invisibility, by Henry Kuttner
Yet another post about a story of invisibility. I keep finding more for my book bibliography, so I might as well blog about them here! Invisibility has been a key feature of stories in pretty much every genre of writing. … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Weird fiction
3 Comments
Some photos of the Beaver Moon Lunar Eclipse of 2021
Did you know that there was a near-total lunar eclipse this morning that could be viewed through most of Canada and the United States? This “Beaver Moon lunar eclipse” was near its peak around 4:00 am EST, and once I … Continue reading
Raiders Invisible, by D.W. Hall
I am losing my mind. So: in the process of tracking down Rousseau’s The Invisible Death a few days ago, I learned that there is another story about invisibility, with almost the exact same name, Invisible Death, that appeared in … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Invisibility
1 Comment
The Invisible Death, by Victor Rousseau
Will I ever run out of vintage science fiction stories about invisibility to write about? I hope so, because otherwise my book draft will never be polished off. Some authors of weird fiction seem to be addicted to invisibility. One … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
1 Comment
Slan, by A.E. van Vogt
Yet another story that features the physics of invisibility, continuing my series of posts inspired by the research into my upcoming book on the history of invisibility physics! A secret race of mutant humans, gifted with superpowers, hides out from … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
3 Comments
The Shadow of the Beast, by Robert E. Howard
Another post about an invisibility story, from my researching into my book on invisibility physics. Sometimes a little bit of bad luck can turn into some good luck. To fill out my bibliography on invisibility fiction, I wanted to include … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility, Robert E. Howard
6 Comments
The Sea Demons, by Victor Rousseau
Continuing a discussion of odd stories of invisibility in fiction that I came across in writing my book on the history of invisibility physics. Pulp stories are sometimes quite a ride. They can be filled with bizarre ideas and twists … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Weird fiction
1 Comment
The Secret of Wilhelm Storitz, by Jules Verne
My book on the history and physics of invisibility is off to the publisher for final approval, though there’s still some little stuff I want to add, including a comprehensive bibliography of stories about invisibility. Along the way, I’ve read … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction, Weird fiction
1 Comment
James Clerk Maxwell – Vampyre poet?
So James Clerk Maxwell was one of the greatest theoretical physicists of the 19th century, even perhaps the greatest. He is most famous for compiling a system of equations in the 1860s that describe the interactions of electricity and magnetism, … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Horror
1 Comment
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