-
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
Name the ‘carnival of the classics’!
I’ve been chatting with Coturnix over at A Blog Around The Clock about preparing a new blog carnival related to classic papers. One of the first questions that came up: what do we name this new carnival? Coturnix suggested that … Continue reading
Posted in General science
10 Comments
Welcome cairochemist!
Just a quick note: I’ve been trying to convince some of my colleagues for some time to do some guest blogging here. One of them, who will be known as cairochemist, has fallen for my spiel… ahem… *cough* *cough*… has … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
Leave a comment
George Brewer’s The Witch of Ravensworth
A some time back I wrote a blog post about The Animated Skeleton, an early Gothic horror novel written in 1798 and reprinted for the first time by Valancourt Books. Though fascinating and enjoyable, ‘Skeleton is not an easy read, … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
8 Comments
The 2008 “Classic Science Papers” Challenge is done!
The deadline for the “Classic Science Papers” challenge has passed! The collection of entries will be permanently bookmarked here, for future reference. Entries ranged over a wide variety of disciplines: biochemistry, biology, geology, neuroanatomy, medicine, physics, physiology, and psychology. Entries … Continue reading
Posted in General science
7 Comments
Edgar Allan Poe’s The Premature Burial and its references
Of all of the works of Edgar Allan Poe’s, one of my favorites is The Premature Burial (1844). The narrator of the story is a man who suffers from cataleptic attacks which leave him insensate and seemingly lifeless. He develops … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
4 Comments
Seiches in Chicago
This is interesting. Only a couple of weeks after I wrote about the phenomena of seiches, powerful winds on Lake Michigan produced a seiche which washed up on the Chicago shoreline (h/t my Mom). This seiche was not devastating or … Continue reading
Posted in Science news
Leave a comment
A couple of days left for the ‘challenge’!
Just thought I’d put out a reminder that the official deadline for the ‘classic science paper challenge’ is only two days away: May 31st. It will probably take me a couple of days to write up a wrap-up post about … Continue reading
Posted in General science
8 Comments
Grounded!
Well, I’m back from my skydiving adventure at the Memorial Day Boogie at Emerald Coast Skydiving Center. Just like last year, the staff was friendly and helpful, and I managed to get eight jumps on the beach. There’s nothing like … Continue reading
Posted in Sports, Travel
Leave a comment
The gallery of failed atomic models, 1903-1913
It is often said that history is “written by the victors”. While this statement is usually referring to the winners of a military or political conflict, a similar effect occurs in the history of science. Physics textbooks, for instance, often … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics
41 Comments
My favorite uses of “mood music” in television and movies
I recently rewatched the season finale of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and was struck by one particular scene, in which an FBI agent and a SWAT team move in to arrest a terminator, not knowing exactly what they’re dealing … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment
5 Comments
Skulls in the Stars 