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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
RIP Mandarin, 2010-2021
This past Friday, a beloved member of my extended kitty family, Mandarin, was helped on his way to the next life. Mandarin was diagnosed early this year with a rare and untreatable brain tumor. Beth did everything possible to make … Continue reading
Priestess of the Moon, by Ray Cummings
More invisibility? Okay, sure, why not. I may be cursed to blog about invisibility in fiction for the rest of my life. While preparing a post about McGivern’s “The Visible Invisible Man,” I suddenly realized that there is another story … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
2 Comments
The Visible Invisible Man, by William P. McGivern
Here’s another invisibility story — again, my book on the history and physics of invisibility will be out next year! The last we saw of William P. McGivern was his story “The Chameleon Man,” published in January of 1942. But … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Weird fiction
1 Comment
The Plague of the Living Dead, by A. Hyatt Verrill
One of the best things about studying history is the serendipitous discoveries one can make. This post is about one of those: while tracking down various stories about invisibility, I learned of the story “The Plague of the Living Dead,” … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Lovecraft
2 Comments
Cloak of Aesir, by Don A. Stuart
This is the last of my daily run of blog posts for now, marking the 30th post in a row! Most of them have been on invisibility in fiction, and we wrap with a fascinating example. I’ve still got more … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
9 Comments
Ghost Planet, by Thorne Lee
The penultimate post on invisibility in fiction in my attempt to blog 30 days in a row! I’ve got more stories to blog after that, but this will probably be the end of my continuous run. So we’ve technically already … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
1 Comment
The People of the Pit, by A. Merritt
Getting close to the end of my run of invisibility in fiction posts! Hope you’ve been enjoying them! Here we take a quick look at a story by one of my favorite weird fiction authors: Abraham Merritt, who went by … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility, Lovecraft
4 Comments
Invisible One, by Neil R. Jones
Starting to get exhausted by all these invisibility posts! But I’m going for 30 straight days of blogging, then I’ll rest. The scene: In her Ohio home on the outskirts of the 26th Century metropolis of Cincinnati, Moira Presby softly … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
1 Comment
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
2 Comments
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
1 Comment
Skulls in the Stars 