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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. -
Author Archives: skullsinthestars
Black Mad Wheel, by Josh Malerman
Book 3 of my 26 books for 2024 goal! Some books look so appealing that I grab them off the shelf at the bookstore without hesitation, but somehow take forever to get around to reading. That is the case with … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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New TikTok video on the Barkhausen effect!
I’ve been neglecting my TikTok page as much as my blog, so here’s a video that makes up for both! I talk about the really cool Barkhausen effect, which allows you to actually hear metal being magnetized. I wrote about … Continue reading
Posted in Physics
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How many actors have two LEGO minifigs?
So yesterday I learned that there is a Bricks & Minifigs store in my area, and I had to check it out. LEGO has become so huge in recent years that official LEGO stores are no longer enough, so you … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Silliness
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Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Book 2 of my 26 books for 2024 goal! Still roughly on track, though I want to pick up the pace. One reason I like book blogging is that I pay more attention to things like book introductions and that … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Weird fiction
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“The birth of electromagnetism” on TikTok!
I have made another history of science video for TikTok, this time focusing on the curious story of how electromagnetism was discovered in 1820 in an experiment that is utterly unique for one really big reason: Like a lot of … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics
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Robert Williams Wood adds invisibility to his textbook (1911)
It’s kind of a fun phenomenon that no matter how thoroughly I research my history of science books, after they’re published I always find something that surprises me. In this case, I was tracking down some data on the physics … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Invisibility
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Helgoland, by Carlo Rovelli
Book 1 of my new modest goal of reading and blogging about 26 books this year! This one is a little bit of a cheat, as I read much of it near the end of last year, but I finished … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics
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Fake Book Titles Extravaganza, Part 8!
It’s time to compile all my fake book titles from social media again! You can see compilation 1, compilation 2, compilation 3, compilation 4, compilation 5, compilation 6 and compilation 7 at the links. This is a smaller batch, because I haven’t been as inspired lately and … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, Silliness
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Frank Perret’s The Eruption of Mt. Pelée 1929-1932
I’ve mentioned before that I’ve started to experiment with doing history of science TikToks for fun, and did one not long ago about Frank Perret’s brush with death in the path of a pyroclastic flow on Mount Pelée somewhere around … Continue reading
Posted in History of science
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Skulls in the Stars 