-
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. -
Category Archives: Optics
Do optics like Darwin’s Dad!
A few days ago, I was wondeirng what else I could contribute to the celebration of the birthday of Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution which forms the cornerstone of modern biology. Of course, I’m an optical physicist, … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Optics
Leave a comment
Measuring the ‘kick’ of a photon leaving a fiber!
In physics, there are a number of fundamental and seemingly simple questions which have remained a source of controversy for years, even decades. Last month, a paper was published by a Chinese research group describing an experiment which throws new … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
5 Comments
Focusing through a ‘maze’ of strong scattering
One of the broad challenges in a lot of optical applications involving visible light is simply that most materials aren’t particularly transparent. This is rather obvious, at a glance: materials can be strong absorbers of light, strong reflectors of light, … Continue reading
Posted in Optics
5 Comments
CNN Holograms? Not really.
I was planning to comment on the CNN ‘hologram’ effect that they used on election night, and though I see that Tom at Swans on Tea beat me to it (I wave angry fist in the air, shouting, “Curse you!”), … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Science news
10 Comments
Optics basics: Inverse problems
In previous posts, I’ve talked at some length about computed tomography (CT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Each of these is a technique for determining information about the internal structure of an object, such as the human body, from exterior … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Optics, Optics basics
6 Comments
FiO: Day 4 and day 5
Well, I’m home! A hectic final few days at the FiO conference combined with a lack of hotel internet access prevented me from checking the blog very often (I would wander around the Hyatt, where I wasn’t staying, looking for … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Science news
4 Comments
FiO 2008: Day three
All the ‘big ticket’ events took place on the first and second days, so by day 3 I settled into listening to some shorter talks on various subjects. Also, day 3 is about the time I start trying to actually … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Science news
4 Comments
FiO 2008: Day two
My hotel’s wireless internet completely crapped out late Sunday night, and they still have not been able to get it fixed. Fortunately, there’s wireless connectivity in some of the conference center, so I thought I’d post an update while I’m … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Science news
2 Comments
‘Liveblogging’ the What’s Hot in Optics Today? session at FiO
I thought I’d experiment and try liveblogging a session about What’s Hot in Optics Today? at the OSA Annual Meeting. This was in fact one of the first sessions, and seemed interesting enough. Unfortunately, I couldn’t liveblog, because I didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Science news
2 Comments
Fabry, Perot, and their wonderful interferometer (1897, 1899)
This is my entry for the fifth edition of The Giant’s Shoulders, to be held at Podblack Blog on November 15th. By the late 1800s, physicists had begun a serious study of the structure of the atom. The best tool … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Optics, Physics
12 Comments
Skulls in the Stars 