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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
A short housekeeping note (again)
If things have seemed rather quiet around here again, it’s because I’m making a final big push to finish my math methods textbook by the end of December — the brainpower required to sort through the headaches of Bessel functions … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: End of the world edition!
I figured that the week of Thanksgiving would be quiet for research blogging — not true! Lots of folks stepped away from the turkey and stepped up to give us some research highlights. The entries that caught my eye this … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: wayward galaxy clusters, air batteries, and the Toucan’s bill
hey, where are those galaxy clusters going? Greg Fish at weird things describes “dark flow”, a mysterious unexplained pull that some clusters of galaxies are experiencing. Recharge your batteries. calvinus at Post Tenebras Lux tells us about an intriguing new … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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Another kitty in da house!
And this time it’s a real kitten, only six months old. We’re fostering her for a while until we can find her a good home. Her name is Sophie, and she’s a very sweet kitty. Here’s a picture of her … Continue reading
Posted in Animals
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Reversing optical “shockwaves” using metamaterials (updated)
In a recent issue of Physical Review Letters was an article with the intriguing (to me) title of “Experimental verification of reversed Cherenkov radiation in left-handed metamaterial,” by a collaboration from Zhejiang University in China and MIT. The paper is … Continue reading
Posted in Optics
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Benjamin Franklin’s words on the Constitution
On Tuesday night, almost on the eve of a historic Senate vote on expanding health care coverage for Americans, hundreds of people congregated outside of Joe Lieberman’s Connecticut house in a candlelight vigil to advocate for healthcare reform. The vigil, … Continue reading
Posted in Politics
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The Giant’s Shoulders #17 — Darwin Sesquicentennial Edition — is up!
The seventeenth edition of The Giant’s Shoulders is up at The Primate Diaries! Eric Michael Johnson put together an excellent Darwin Sesquicentennial Edition! The deadline for the next edition is December 15th, and it will be held at Just a … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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ResearchBlogging editor’s selections: water on the sun, nanotubes in the garden, mysterious magnetic field reversals, and ancient Chinese roads
Water on the Sun. If you thought finding water on the moon was surprising, let Invader Xan at Supernova Condensate explain how water has now been found on the surface of the Sun! Sprucing up your garden with carbon nanotubes. … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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Skulls in the Stars 