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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
From the archives: Phantasmagoria: How Étienne-Gaspard Robert terrified Paris for science
This is another classic post that I will probably turn into a TikTok video in the future, but I am very proud of the writing I did here!
Posted in History of science, Optics
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Posting history of science on TikTok!
Just a short note to let people know that I’ve started experimenting with posting videos on TikTok about the weird history of science stories that I know! Will see how long I can put up with the effort! For those … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Personal
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What is a zero refractive index material?
I’m currently writing a textbook on Electromagnetic Waves for my graduate optics students. I was reading up on zero refractive index materials for a chapter section and thought it would be fun to write a popularized account of their fascinating … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
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From the archives: Barkla shows that x-rays have polarization (1905)
Thought I’d share an old post from the physics archives, talking about a very important yet largely forgotten milestone in physics: the demonstration that X-rays are in fact another type of electromagnetic wave!
Posted in History of science, Physics
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Paperbacks from Hell, by Grady Hendrix
Okay, I finally decided that I needed to read Paperbacks from Hell, by Grady Hendrix, which was first published in 2017! Back in October, I wrote about the 1984 horror novel Carnosaur, and it sent me fondly reminiscing about all … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Invisibility reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement!
I’ve been using my blog as a place to keep track of any mentions of my book on Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen, which came out early this year, and there’s one big review … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Personal
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Last hours of MST3k Season 14 fundraiser!
Hi all, just a short note that if you weren’t aware, MST3k is fundraising for season 14, and there’s only a few hours left to make their goal and they’re quite short of the goal. If you were unaware that … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment
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Orchard of the Dead, by Stefan Grabinski
As readers of the blog know, I’ve been on a Valancourt Books world horror kick recently (see here, here and here), as they’ve been releasing English translations of world horror authors, many of the stories and collections appearing in English … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Karl Edward Wagner’s In a Lonely Place
I’m having a lot of fun these days catching up on all of Valancourt Books’ impressive recent releases, which includes stuff never before released and reprints of rare and classic tomes of horror. On a short trip to Chicago to … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Skulls in the Stars 