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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
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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The Sword of Midras, by Tracy Hickman and Richard Garriott
I’ve been getting very nostalgic recently for the video fantasy role-playing games of my youth, most notably the Ultima series of games. I played Ultima I – V when I was young, and even watched a complete walkthrough of Ultima … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction
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Cat-turning in the Washington Post!
Those who have followed this blog for a while know that I have a fascination with the physics and history of “cat-turning,” the ability of a cat to turn over and land on its feet even when it falls with … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Personal, Physics
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A trip to the New England Aquarium
I’m in Boston for a couple of days to attend an optics meeting, and I snuck out for an hour this afternoon to visit the lovely New England Aquarium! Even though I’m a physicist, I love visiting such places, because … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Travel
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Twitter Weird Science Facts, Volume 15
It’s been a long delay since my last volume of twitter #weirdscifacts, so we’ve got a lot of catching up do to! I was at the Frontiers in Optics meeting in Rochester all last week, which put me quite behind. … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Weirdscifacts
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Halloween Treats 2016
It’s that most wonderful time of year again, when the leaves change colors and the spirits become restless! In the “spirit” of Halloween, I again present a series of classic horror stories to properly get you in the mood. I’ve been … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Skulls in the Stars 