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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. -
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Author Archives: skullsinthestars
Invisible Men of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Nearing the end of my run of posts about invisibility in fiction! Be sure to look out for my book on the history of invisibility physics next year! One thing that is truly amazing about invisibility in fiction is how … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Invisibility
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The Chameleon Man, by William P. McGivern
Getting closer to the end of my run of invisibility posts! Here’s one that’s a little different… So when is something unable to be seen but not invisible? Well, the answer is handily demonstrated by William P. McGivern’s “The Chameleon … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Weird fiction
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Land of the Shadow Dragons, by Eando Binder
Just a reminder again that I’ll (hopefully) have a book out on the history and physics of invisibility next year, so keep an eye out! Here we have a first in our discussion of invisibility in fiction — a sequel! … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Invisibility
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The Invisible Bomber, by Lieutenant John Pease
Still more invisibility in fiction to come! It seems like an almost endless subject. I didn’t have particularly high expectations for this next story. “The Invisible Bomber,” by Lieutenant John Pease, appeared in the June 1938 issue of Amazing Stories. … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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The Man Who Could Vanish, by A. Hyatt Verrill
Yet another invisibility story! It is simply amazing how many of these are out there. And I haven’t even really looked past the year 1960. If you look at the cover of the January 1927 issue of Amazing Stories, you … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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The Invisible World, by Ed Earl Repp
Have we found the ultimate invisibility story? Read on… In hindsight, I should have realized that I would find a story that takes invisibility to the extreme! Once we’ve had invisible people, invisible monsters, and invisible cities, it was inevitable … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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Salvage in Space, by Jack Williamson
Yep, I’ve still got more invisibility stories to discuss! In fact, I found 4 more through searching old magazines today. Reminder that I’ll have a book on the history of invisibility physics coming out next year! Although invisibility is a … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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The Radiant Shell, by Paul Ernst
Another invisibility story! The number and variety of stories continues to amaze me. You know what we haven’t really seen yet? A good invisible spy story! “Raiders Invisible” came close, but its invisible spies were the bad guys; we need … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Mystery/thriller
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The Attack From Space, by Captain S.P. Meek
Yet another blog post about invisibility in fiction! Just as a reminder, this is to celebrate the completion of my book draft on the history of invisibility physics, coming next year (I hope). Let me recap and build upon a … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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Beyond the Spectrum, by Arthur Leo Zagat
Yet another post of invisibility fiction, driven by all the stories I found while researching my invisibility book! Here we have a curious case: an invisibility story written by a lawyer-turned-author, Arthur Leo Zagat (1896-1949)! Zagat wrote for many pulp … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility
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Skulls in the Stars 