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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
Conan the Barbarian: Twisting Loyalties, by Jim Zub
Book 23 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. I haven’t read many comics in recent years, even though I was … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Robert E. Howard
Tagged books, comic-books, comics, fantasy
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18 years of Skulls in the Stars!
I’m pretty bad with anniversaries, so I’m glad that WordPress reminded me! Today marks 18 years of blogging at Skulls in the Stars. What started as a fleeting experiment became a pretty significant part of my life. 18 years… wow. … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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Maxwell invents a demon, people get angry (1879)
Some time ago, I was browsing 150 year old popular science magazines as one does and I found an amusing editorial from 1879 in The Popular Science Monthly titled “Explanations that do not explain.” The unsigned editorial discussed a recent … Continue reading
The Tripods: The Pool of Fire, by John Christopher
Book 22 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. In each of the modern printings of John Christopher’s The Tripods books, … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
Tagged book review, book-reviews, books, Fiction, science fiction
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The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The White Worm, by Sam Siciliano
Book 21 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. Some books look intriguing to me when I first get them, but … Continue reading
Posted in Mystery/thriller
Tagged book review, books, Fiction, mystery, sherlock-holmes
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What is a quantum eraser?
My training and background as a physicist is largely in the field of so-called classical optics: the study of the wave properties of light. Lately, however, I’ve been planning more investigations into quantum optics — the study of the quantum … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
Tagged philosophy, Physics, quantum-mechanics, quantum-physics, science
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Einstein’s Tutor, by Lee Phillips
Book 20 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. I’ve been gearing up lately to plan my next popular science book … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Mathematics, Physics, Women in science
Tagged Mathematics, philosophy, Physics, science
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A retrospective on my first published scientific paper
I’ve had a pretty long career in physics, optics in particular, at this point: I have published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and have written 5 books. Looking back to the start of my journey in science, I don’t think I … Continue reading
The Tripods: The City of Gold and Lead, by John Christopher
Book 19 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. Last month, I read the first book in John Christopher’s classic young … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
Tagged book review, book-reviews, books, Fiction, science fiction
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An Echo of Children, by Ramsey Campbell
Book 18 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. Ramsey Campbell still knows how to catch me off guard. The first … Continue reading
Skulls in the Stars 