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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
ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: Prehistoric ballistics, prehistoric food delivery, a big boom and chemophobia
Prehistoric ballistics, or Mythbusters meets archaeology. The Mythbusters have been amazing promoters of science, but who knew that they actually do peer-reviewed science? Julien Riel-Salvatore of A Very Remote Period Indeed describes a collaboration between archaeologists and Mythbusters to answer … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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Slender loris at the Duke Lemur Center
ScienceOnline 2010 had a variety of “lab tours” to attend on Friday afternoon. With all the options available, I chose to return to the Duke Lemur Center that I visited last year! I wanted to show my wife the lemurs, … Continue reading
Posted in Animals
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Back from ScienceOnline 2010!
Well, I’m back home from ScienceOnline 2010! I only stayed for the first day of the conference this year, but I enjoyed all of the sessions that I attended and collected a lot of food for thought. It was especially … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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The Giant’s Shoulders #19 is up!
The nineteenth edition of The Giant’s Shoulders is up at The Renaissance Mathematicus! Many thanks to Thony C. for assembling a great edition! The deadline for the next edition is February 15th, and it will be held at The Lay … Continue reading
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Off to ScienceOnline 2010!
After work this evening, the wife and I will head off to ScienceOnline 2010. We’ll probably be arriving around 9:00, too late to make the ‘early bird’ event, but I plan to pop by the hotel bar soon after to … Continue reading
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ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: Volcanoes and evolution, fine-grained space, and Earth’s CO2 sensitivity
Nyamulagira Volcano and Human Evolution. Greg Laden of Greg Laden’s Blog describes some of his own published research speculating that humans may have split from chimps on the slopes of volcanoes! It is a fascinating post with great personal anecdotes … Continue reading
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Mythbusters were scooped — by 130 years! (Finger in the barrel)
During my first evening in San Antonio, I sequestered myself in my hotel room to polish up my presentation. Fortunately, there was a Mythbusters marathon on the Discovery Channel at that time, so I was able to keep myself marginally … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, History of science, Physics
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Mini-interview in Seed Magazine!
Well, I’m on the road again. Three days after getting back from a marathon holiday trip, I hopped back on a plane and headed to Texas for a grant-related workshop. At least the plane out was pretty empty — I … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Personal
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10 days until The Giant’s Shoulders #19!
There’s 10 days left until the deadline for The Giant’s Shoulders #19! It will be held at The Renaissance Mathematicus, and entries can be submitted through blogcarnival.com or directly to the host blog, as usual!
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ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: exporting language, speaking with your mind, reversing streams, and money vs. happiness
More on Korean linguistic exports. Ingrid Piller at Language on the Move discusses an interesting project undertaken by a Korean organization: the “saving” of small languages by giving them a written form using the Korean Hangul characters. But does the … Continue reading
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Skulls in the Stars 