Author Archives: skullsinthestars

The first news report of the laser (1960)

Posted on April 18, 2020

So this year is the 60 year anniversary of the invention of the laser, which was finally accomplished by Theodore Maiman on May 16, 1960 (mark your calendar!).  I recently wrote a blog post about the physics and history of … Continue reading →

Posted in ... the Hell?, History of science, Optics | 2 Comments

Old School Dungeons & Dragons: Part 14

Posted on April 7, 2020

Okay, time for a round of Old School Dungeons & Dragons, taken from my twitter posts! Things are moving a little slower due to the craziness of the world distracting me, but let’s look at a few classic items! Cardmaster … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Fantasy fiction, role-playing games | 2 Comments

Forgotten Milestones in the History of Optics: video!

Posted on March 29, 2020

Okay, here’s one more classic video from my regular seminar series: Forgotten Milestones in the History of Optics! This was one of the earliest semi-popular seminars I put together. More videos and posts to come!

Posted in History of science, Optics | 1 Comment

How Not To Be Seen: the video!

Posted on March 21, 2020

Continuing my series of uploaded videos, tonight I recorded a version of my How Not To Be Seen: The history and science of invisibility seminar, which I’ve given and revised for probably close to ten years now!  I’ve shared links … Continue reading →

Posted in Invisibility, Optics | Leave a comment

Vortices in beams of light and vortex coronagraphy video!

Posted on March 19, 2020

I while ago, I shared slides from a talk I gave at the Charlotte Amateur Astronomy Club on “Vortices in beams of light and vortex coronagraphy.” Now that I, like everyone else, am more or less homebound, I thought I … Continue reading →

Posted in Optics, Physics | Leave a comment

Old School Dungeons & Dragons: Part 13

Posted on March 11, 2020

Here’s my latest wrap-up of twitter-posted old school Dungeons & Dragons threads! Going to post these more frequently, with fewer entries, because my last few posts were over 4000 words each!  So without further ado… The Dragonlance Game (1988), by … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Fantasy fiction, role-playing games | 3 Comments

Ruby Payne-Scott and the mystery of sunspots

Posted on March 9, 2020

This post is in belated honor of International Women’s Day 2020, March 8th, and highlights an important woman physicist who I was unaware of until recently! I think almost everybody is familiar with the phenomenon of sunspots: relatively dark patches … Continue reading →

Posted in History of science, Physics, Women in science | Leave a comment

Book signing at Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville on March 18th!

Posted on February 12, 2020

I am happy to announce that my next book signing for Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics will take place on March 18th at 6 pm at Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville! Please consider coming out to hear me read from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal, Physics | 2 Comments

The Influence, by Ramsey Campbell

Posted on February 10, 2020

I’ve been trying to get together enough focus to start reading fiction regularly again, and there was no better way to spark that interest and begin 2020 than by reading one of my favorite authors of all time, Ramsey Campbell.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Horror | 3 Comments

Visualizing the geometric phase of light!

Posted on February 5, 2020

Another post inspired by my book on Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics! I talk about geometric phases in the book in the context of falling cats, but here I focus on the polarization of light. I regularly argue that most … Continue reading →

Posted in Optics, Physics | 1 Comment