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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
John Blackburn’s Dead Man’s Handle
This post marks a minor personal milestone: with the book featured in it, I have now read all of John Blackburn‘s published works. I put off reading this one for quite some time for a reason that I’ll explain at the … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Mystery/thriller
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The Burnaby Experiments, by Stephen Gilbert
I really should be writing about novels other than those published by Valancourt Books, and I will, but they have released so many eye-catching books in recent years that I’ve had a hard time staying away. Most recently, I read their … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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The mystery of the magnetic train
This past week, thanks to Laughing Squid and other sources, a lot of people watched and were amazed by this simple demonstration of electromagnetism in action. It is billed as the “world’s simplest electric train,” and it is almost certainly … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Physics demos
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Ann Gregory, RIP (1974-2014)
One of the joys of twitter is getting to meet so many kind, interesting, and varied people from places all over the world and getting to share, at least a little, in their lives. One of my favorite of these people … Continue reading
Posted in Personal
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Slurstorm, and the flaws in “Shirtstorm” arguments
I hate writing posts like this. I prefer to write about fun physics, history of science and cool horror fiction. But some things are so appalling and disgusting that one must speak up, especially if one’s friends are attacked. You … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?
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The Elementals, by Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell’s reprinted 1981 novel The Elementals conclusively answers a question that I’ve been wondering for years: why are there so few classic haunted house stories? I’ve always been a fan of such stories, or more generally “old dark house” … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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No Songs for the Stars, by Mary SanGiovanni
I’m rather intrigued these days by the concept of chapbooks, short typically inexpensive books that first became popularized in the 17th and 18th centuries. I guess they never really went away, but recently I’ve been seeing — or noticing — … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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The Great Sausage Duel of 1865
(Tip o’ the hat to Blake Stacey for first pointing this story out to me!) The history of science is filled with macabre tales of self-experimentation, amoral experimentation on others, horrific accidents, and even mysterious and sinister disappearances. Perhaps the … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, History of science
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Halloween Treats 2014
(Update: It cost me a good deal of my sanity, but I think I fixed “The Monkey’s Paw” pdf to load quickly in browser.) It’s that time again to post a collection of “Halloween Treats”: classic ghost and horror stories … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Gardinel’s Real Estate, by M.S. Corley and Orrin Grey
I love “old dark house” stories! Such stories, which involve a group of people gathered or trapped in a sinister house and subjected to horrors, include haunted house stories but are not limited to stories about ghosts. I first learned the term “old … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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Skulls in the Stars 