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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
Relativity Denialist: A perfect example of “Not even wrong” (though he’s actually wrong, too) Part II
Halfway through writing my previous post on Mr. Relativity Denier I realized there was way too much stuff to criticize in a single blog post. I had to meet a real scientist for dinner, so I took a break and … Continue reading
Relativity Denialist: A perfect example of “Not even wrong” (though he’s actually wrong, too)
Note: Wow, this post has gotten a lot of traffic! I feel duty-bound to note, though, that mine is not the only analysis of this relativity crackpot: Blake Stacey at Science After Sunclipse has been compiling a list of some … Continue reading
Making light follow a curve (updated)
I was sent a link today to an interesting article about some research done at the University of Central Florida. Researchers have concocted a class of optical beams which appear to follow a curved trajectory in free space propagation. A … Continue reading
Something to make your favorite creationist’s head explode
I was wandering through my local craft store the other day and came across the following interesting artifact: It’s a miniature natural history museum, complete with prehistoric man and dinosaurs galore. The kicker is that it’s a miniature for under … Continue reading
The crappiest horror movie endings I can think of… and some of the best!
My recent rant about the ending of The Mist made me start thinking of various horror films which have really atrocious endings. Horror films seem particularly susceptible to crappy endings, as many writers and directors think that all horror movies … Continue reading
Movie Review: The Mist (updated)
Frank Darabont should be slapped. He’s the writer/director of The Mist, the film adaptation of Steven King’s classic novella. I just got back from seeing it with my friend Mike a few minutes ago. We’ll come back to Darabont in … Continue reading
Bad news for my girlfriend
Sorry, sweetie: a concerned viewer asked Pat Robertson whether yoga has its origins in evil. Well, bad news: by repeating yoga mantras you’re praying to pantheistic gods and are apparently engaging in ‘spooky’ activities, though Robertson doesn’t go so far … Continue reading
Graham Masterton’s The Manitou
I was digging through my collection of horror novels and came across an excellent but mostly forgotten classic: Graham Masterton’s The Manitou. The 1975 book was Masterton’s first novel, and launched a prolific and ongoing career in horror writing. Nowadays, … Continue reading
The Futurama is today! (updated)
There’s a nice article in Wired (h/t Pharyngula) about the return of Futurama to the entertainment world. Futurama was always given a bum rap by the networks, because it was unusual and more clever by far than the Simpsons episodes … Continue reading
Starship Troopers coming to a battlefield near you
I thought this was pretty cool. Remember when the powered armor in Heinlein’s Starship Troopers seemed so futuristic? Well, a company is developing exoskeleton suits for the military, and though I wouldn’t want to be running around on a combat … Continue reading
