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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
Polaroid: the game-changing optical technology (1938)!
Some technology is so pervasive and mundane in modern society that it is hard to comprehend what a seismic shift its introduction caused in civilization. Examples I can think of are refrigerators and air conditioning, but in science an example … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Optics
Tagged astronomy, nature, photography, Physics, science
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Prince of Annwn, by Evangeline Walton
Book 13 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! A few weeks ago I visited some friends in Rochester and, as always, that was a good opportunity to play some boardgames and snoop around on their bookshelves … Continue reading
The Last Night to Kill Nazis, by David Agranoff
Book 12 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! With everything going on in the world lately, I needed to read something cathartic, and when I was at the bookstore David Agranoff’s 2023 horror novel The Last … Continue reading
Berserker’s Planet, by Fred Saberhagen
Book 11 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Still going! Suddenly, I found myself back in a Fred Saberhagen mood. Saberhagen is one of those science fiction/fantasy authors who doesn’t get enough attention these days, considering … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Science fiction
Tagged book review, books, fantasy, Fiction, science fiction
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Quinine, dog pee, and… optics? (1852)
Every once in a while I come across an off-hand comment that immediately makes me need to know more. Recently, I’ve been researching the history of light polarizers, and turned to a paper1 by Edwin Land, the scientist who developed … Continue reading
Electromagnetic Optics is available!
This post will only be relevant to a small portion of my audience, but I wanted to announce that my latest textbook Electromagnetic Optics is now available! That link is for the e-book, which is already available; the print book … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Personal
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Inverted World, by Christopher Priest
Book 10 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! One third of the way through my goal for the year, even though it’s not even one sixth of the year! I am desperate for distractions these days. … Continue reading
The Man of Numbers, by Keith Devlin
Book 9 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Opted to switch to some history of science and mathematics to mix things up… Some books in my collection were things that caught my attention at the time … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Mathematics
Tagged art, book review, books, History, renaissance
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A Light Most Hateful, by Hailey Piper
Book 8 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Continuing my current habit of flipping between a horror book and a sci-fi book. One of the best things about social media, amongst many, many downsides, is getting … Continue reading
Tau Zero, by Poul Anderson
Book 7 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! I love a good science fiction story that really leans into one of the weird aspects of modern physics, and so as soon as I learned the premise … Continue reading
Skulls in the Stars 