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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
Some words from Wordsworth Mystery & Supernatural
Over the past few months, I’ve been throwing in a ‘shout-out’ to some smaller press publishers who specialize in classic and hard-to-find weird fiction; some original posts on the topic can be found here and here. A few weeks ago … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Any physics requests?
Ugh. I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather and unmotivated to blog for the past week. I’m thinking I may have come down with some mild illness that’s slowing me down (or maybe that illness is simply the start … Continue reading
Posted in Personal, Science news
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“Look, you fools. You’re in danger. Can’t you see? They’re after you. They’re after all of us. Our wives, our children, everyone. They’re here already. YOU’RE NEXT!”
This is just my way of saying Blake Stacey has been absorbed into scienceblogs.com, part of the Seed Media Group. He is now in the distinguished company of such great science blogs as Pharyngula, A Blog Around the Clock, and … Continue reading
Posted in Science news
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Robert R. McCammon’s Boy’s Life
I read much of Robert R. McCammon’s work when I was younger, but somehow I managed to read only his ‘lesser’ works, such as Stinger (1988), Wolf’s Hour (1989), and The Night Boat (1980), and completely missed the books widely … Continue reading
Another personal blogging milestone…
My friend Personal Demon has reminded me (and belatedly congratulated me) on my one-year blogging anniversary, which I began writing on August 14th, 2007. I had completely forgotten the date. Thanks to everyone who has been reading my posts so … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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Fossil Hunt: FAIL!!!
Well, I’m back from Chicago, and my fossil hunting expedition! My abilities to find fossils on this trip can be summarized by one word: FAIL!!! This was a field trip sponsored by the Field Museum of Chicago, a place I … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Travel
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A blogging hiatus for the weekend
I just thought I’d mention that I probably won’t be posting for a few days: I’m heading to the Chicago area to go on a fossil hunt with my Dad! On top of that, as soon as I get back … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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New ‘cloaking’ results? Not really, but interesting anyway
About a week ago, I reported on another ‘teaser’ in the media about ‘optical cloaks’, hypothetical devices which would in principle make objects contained in their core completely invisible. Such devices have gotten a lot of attention, both scientifically and … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Optics, Physics
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Tim Lebbon’s Mesmer
Tim Lebbon relative newcomer as a horror fiction author. I’ve discussed a couple of his later novels in a previous post, and I finally got around to reading his first: Mesmer (1997). As Lebbon himself notes in the introduction to … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Bill Murray makes a skydive!
(h/t my Mom) For the opening of the 50th Chicago Air & Water show on Friday, actor Bill Murray decided to take the plunge and make a tandem skydive! The raw footage of his skydive can be seen at the … Continue reading
Skulls in the Stars 