-
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
A very silly David Brooks meme…
The other day, a photograph appeared on the internet(s) of conservative pundit David Brooks striking a ridiculously enthusiastic pose. The picture in question: Joshua Green, senior editor at The Atlantic, thought this picture was meme-worthy, and solicited creative uses of Brooks’ … Continue reading
Posted in ... the Hell?, Silliness
Leave a comment
The Giant’s Shoulders #35 is out!
The 35th edition of The Giant’s Shoulders is up at Jost a mon! Fëanor has put together an excellent illustrated edition of the carnival; many thanks to him! The next edition will be hosted by Darwin’s Bulldog at The Dispersal of Darwin; … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
Leave a comment
Laird Barron’s Occultation
It didn’t take much for me to become a fan of Laird Barron’s writing. I first encountered the horror author’s work in the wonderful anthology Haunted Legends, and Barron’s story The Redfield Girls stood out as a beautifully written and … Continue reading
It’s not shrinkage — it’s relativity! (1889)
The best stories in the history of physics are those in which someone comes from humble origins and, seemingly out of nowhere, makes a brilliant discovery that changes everything. Such stories, however, can give a very misleading impression of the … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics, Relativity
17 Comments
Weird science facts, May 4 — May 10
Still going strong with the Twitter #weirdscifacts! Here are this week’s facts. 417. May 04: Aerogel: lowest-density solid with density almost as low as air: 1.9 mg/cm^3 for gel, 1.2 mg/cm^3 for air! Aerogel is an amazing substance — it … Continue reading
Posted in Weirdscifacts
Leave a comment
6 days until the deadline for The Giant’s Shoulders #35!
This is your monthly reminder to finish off those history of science blog posts! The deadline for the 35th edition of The Giant’s Shoulders blog carnival is May 15th, only six days away. The carnival will be hosted by Fëanor … Continue reading
Posted in General science, Science news
Leave a comment
Weird science facts, April 27 — May 3
Whenever I think I’m running out of weird science facts, I stumble across a set of bizarre things that refills my queue! Anyway, here are this week’s Twitter #weirdscifacts! 410. Apr 27: S. Morse (1791-1872), an art professor, built the … Continue reading
Posted in Weirdscifacts
Leave a comment
Rosa Praed’s Fugitive Anne (1902)
Since nearly the beginning of my blog, I’ve been a fan of Valancourt Books, which publishes a lot of wonderful and neglected works from the 19th and early 20th centuries. I’ve blogged about a lot of them, some of which … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction
Leave a comment
Weird science facts, April 20 — April 26
Here are the Twitter #weirdscifacts for the previous week! 403. Apr 20: 150 yrs ago today, the government gave muskets to the Smithsonian for protection against the Confederacy! (h/t @smithsonian) 404. Apr 21: Largest genome belongs to plant Paris japonica — … Continue reading
Posted in Weirdscifacts
Leave a comment
The spinthariscope — see atoms decay before your eyes!
Last week heralded the long-awaited arrival of a package I had ordered, the content of which seems rather unimpressive at first glance. It consists of a small metal cylinder, with an adjustable lens on one end and a screw on … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics
27 Comments
Skulls in the Stars 