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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
The Giant’s Shoulders #58 is out!
I was a little slow in posting about it, but the 58th edition of the history of science blog carnival, The Giant’s Shoulders, is up at Asylum Science! In this edition, you can read about: cosmonauts who had to survive … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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April 10, 1815: Mount Tambora blows up
Today is the 198th anniversary of the largest volcanic event in recorded history, the deadly and devastating eruption of Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia. The eruption was four times as powerful as that of its later … Continue reading
Posted in General science, History of science
3 Comments
Colin Wilson’s The Philosopher’s Stone
I have to admit: I almost didn’t finish reading Colin Wilson‘s 1969 novel The Philosopher’s Stone, recently reprinted by Valancourt Books. The novel is, in my opinion, a slow-starter; it takes quite some time for this curious story to find … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Lovecraft, Science fiction
7 Comments
Another video of the Kaye effect
I finally managed to get some video editing software to work, and I have put together a more polished video of the Kaye effect, including some slow-motion shots of the streams! (If the embed doesn’t work right now, try the … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Physics demos
9 Comments
Physics demonstrations: A short discussion of the Kaye effect
I’ve been gearing up for the second year of the UNC Charlotte Science and Technology Expo, which will be happening on campus on Sunday, April 21st. I’ve been preparing a number of weird and unusual demos for the expo, and … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Physics demos
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Vimana: a sci-fi short film kickstarter
I’ve been quite busy with a lot of official work lately, so posting new science stuff has been light. There are a few posts in the works, but they require a bit more research before publishing. In the meantime, I … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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The Club Dumas, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
For reasons that I never quite understand, some books that I purchase end up sitting on my shelf, unread, for months or even years. Typically, when I come back to read them, I end up mentally kicking myself for avoiding … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Mystery/thriller
7 Comments
John Blackburn’s “Nothing but the Night”
I’m happy to announce that another of John Blackburn’s classic horror novels has been reprinted by Valancourt Books, and again it features an introduction by me — Nothing but the Night! When a bus crashes that is carrying orphans … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Personal
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From blazing skies to bogus shamrock: The Giant’s Shoulders #57 is out!
The 57th edition of the history of science blog carnival The Giant’s Shoulders is up at Stories from the Stores, the Science Museum’s blog! In this edition, you can read about: A collection of posts on meteorite history, inspired by … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
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Physics demonstrations: invisibility on the cheap!
I spend a lot of time talking about invisibility on this blog, and it really has become a fascinating and vibrant area of optics, with lots of remarkable results. However, most of those results are theoretical, and the experimental results … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Optics, Physics demos
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Skulls in the Stars 