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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
The Giant’s Shoulders #11 is up!
The eleventh edition of The Giant’s Shoulders is up at Curving Normality! Many thanks to Rense for assembling it! The deadline for the next edition is June 15th, and it will be hosted at The Secret of Newton.
Posted in General science, Science news
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William Beckford’s Vathek
I’ve been working my way through a number of weird fiction tales that weird fiction writer and enthusiast H.P. Lovecraft was fond of. Vathek, by William Beckford (1760-1844), is the type of story I find nearly irresistible: a proud, arrogant … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Lovecraft
6 Comments
Two days until The Giant’s Shoulders #11!
Here’s one last reminder that the deadline for The Giant’s Shoulders #11, to be held at Curving Normality, will be here in 2 days! Entries can be submitted through blogcarnival.com or directly to the host blog, as usual!
Posted in General science, Science news
3 Comments
Optics in the Haunted Mansion!
During our visit to Walt Disney World, the new wife and I made sure to hit all the classic rides in the Magic Kingdom: Pirates of the Carribean, The Tiki Room, The Haunted Mansion, even It’s a Small World (though, … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Optics
18 Comments
Thanks to all!
Well, I’m back from the honeymoon! Thanks to all who gave well-wishes and congratulations in my previous post. I should get back to detailed blogging this week, but in the meantime, here’s a picture from Epcot at night: Yeah, we … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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Just Married!
If all went well, I got married to the fiancée within the past hour! (Obviously, this is a post I scheduled in advance.) For obvious reasons, I won’t be blogging much, if at all, over the next week. After that, … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
15 Comments
Destroying the planet… with science!
When the Large Hadron Collider was fired up for the first time back in September, it caused much wailing and rending of clothes by people who were convinced that the device would create miniature black holes which would destroy the … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, History of science, Physics
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13 days until The Giant’s Shoulders #11!
This is your regularly scheduled reminder that the deadline for The Giant’s Shoulders #11, to be held at Curving Normality, will be here in 13 days! Entries can be submitted through blogcarnival.com or directly to the host blog, as usual!
Posted in General science, Science news
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h-index of 14!
In one of my periodic blog moments of patting myself on the back, I should note that my h-index went up to 14 this past week! As I’ve described previously, when my h-index went to 13, the h-index (or Hirsch … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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Mrs. Carver’s The Horrors of Oakendale Abbey
Generally, I’m a bit tired of the genre of Gothic fiction, though I have enjoyed the few that I’ve read for the blog (see The Animated Skeleton and The Witch of Ravensworth). One other caught my eye when I was … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
6 Comments
Skulls in the Stars 