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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
Invisibility Physics: Acceleration without radiation, part I
A couple of years ago, a number of physicists made international news (some descriptions here and here) by proposing that “cloaking devices” were theoretically possible to construct. Two papers appeared consecutively in Science Magazine in May 2006, one by U. … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Optics, Physics
17 Comments
Some real stories of ‘religious persecution’
Blake over at Science After Sunclipse has written an excellent essay about the real threats and intimidation that people have experienced when speaking out in favor of evolution. The makers of the idiocy that is the film Expelled would like … Continue reading
Posted in Religion, Science news
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Earthquake rocks Illinois!
This headline caught my eye, as I grew up in the Chicago area. I’ll eagerly await reports from my family as to the horrific shocks they no doubt felt in the suburbs… According to CNN, The earthquake occurred in the … Continue reading
Posted in Science news
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Like a zombie, perpetual motion digs itself out of the grave, again
Wandering through StumbleUpon.com‘s science links often looks more like a drunken stagger through the realm of crackpot science. The previous one I found, using Coulomb’s law to get free energy, I passed along to Tyler to deal with as it … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, Physics
8 Comments
One more for the chemists…
Again via StumbleUpon, I found this very nice interactive version of the periodic table. The elements are color-coded according to their orbital configuration, and hovering the mouse over an element gives you all the significant chemical properties. I find myself … Continue reading
Posted in General science
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Expelled Exposed goes live!
Via Pharyngula, I see that the Expelled Exposed website, which points out the flaws and lies in the new Ben Stein creationist claptrap Expelled, has ‘gone live’ and added lots of new content, including a depressing film about the ouster … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Science news
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The secret life of cities…
Cities, in spite of their liveliness, or perhaps because of it, can seem just as mysterious and unknowable as a lonely cemetery or underground catacomb. There’s always something going on in the city, and if you’re attentive, you can catch … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
7 Comments
Happy, happy birthday to Ron Perlman!
I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention that today is the birthday of one of the great horror/scifi actors, Ron Perlman! He’s been involved with so many cool projects it’s hard to do them all justice: He’s probably … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Lovecraft
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Something for the chemists…
Via StumbleUpon, I came across this nice collection of chemistry videos at listverse.com: The Top 10 Amazing Chemical Reactions. If you want to see chemicals acting in very ‘unnatural’ ways, take a gander. My favorite is the sulfur hexafluoride, an … Continue reading
Posted in General science
3 Comments
Lovecraft on “Time and Space”
I was browsing through H.P. Lovecraft’s writings again, in particular his collected philosophical works, and came across an interesting essay: “Time and Space”, printed in Conservative 4, No. 1 (July 1918). Though extremely flowery and poetic, the essay does justice … Continue reading
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