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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
Foundation, by Isaac Asimov
It is a truly daunting task to try and write a blog post about an utterly unique and undisputed classic of literature like Isaac Asimov’s Foundation (1951). On the other hand, it is almost impossible to not write about such … Continue reading
Posted in Politics, Science fiction
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Dinosaur feathers and other oddly-discovered science
Several days ago, a truly awe-inspiring and beautiful scientific achievement was announced to the public: the discovery of the first piece of amber ever found to actually contain the preserved tissue from the tail of a dinosaur, including bones, flesh … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, General science, History of science
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Twitter Weird Science Facts, Volume 18
Getting soooo close to having done a full year of Twitter weirdscifacts! Read below to learn the amazing ability that this seemingly ordinary European robin possesses.
Posted in Science news, General science, Weirdscifacts
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The Doomed City, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
The first indication that something is seriously wrong in the city is the arrival of the baboons. They appear without warning at the garbage dump by the hundreds, rapidly fanning out through the rest of the city and wreaking havoc … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Science fiction
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Twitter Weird Science Facts, Volume 17
Time for another round of #weirdscifacts from Twitter! I’m closing in quickly on a full year of facts, and I don’t think I’ll continue this past a year, so enjoy them while you can! Read below to find out what … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Weirdscifacts
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H.P. Lovecraft and the phantom planet
Science and science fiction go hand in hand, so to speak… but science and horror fiction? There are, in fact, more connections than one might think. A lot of modern science can be quite scary at first glance, and knowledgeable … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Lovecraft
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The tweet heard around the world: FAQ
Four days ago, a good friend of mine posted what I felt was an insightful comment on Facebook about the aftermath of the election that I thought was worth sharing. They gave me permission to share it on twitter, under … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, Personal, Politics
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Archie Roy’s Devil in the Darkness
Valancourt Books has done a really amazing job of late in resurrecting the classic haunted house story, publishing a remarkable number of classic books that have been out of print for years. For instance, they have reprinted Michael McDowell’s The … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Personal
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The consequences of this election
So Donald Trump is the new president of the United States. Though he in fact lost the popular vote, getting fewer votes than Clinton, he won the electoral college. It was a game well-played, and that’s how the news media … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, Personal
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Twitter Weird Science Facts, Volume 16
Time to summarize more weirdscifacts as posted on Twitter! Read on to learn about the amazing origins of the rather innocent looking palm pictured below.
Posted in General science, Weirdscifacts
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Skulls in the Stars 