My most recent blog post, concerning the history of the Pepper-Dircks Ghost, was extremely long but didn’t even include all the fascinating aspects of its history. For instance: the ghost was such an incredibly effective illusion that it even drew … Continue reading
It is often told that in the 1860s, John Henry Pepper used science and technology to invent a ghost. Or did he? This is the surprisingly tricky question that we will try to answer in this lengthy post. It is a … Continue reading
I have a lot of catching up to do in terms of popular science books, so I’ve recently been doing an intense amount of reading. A lot of my focus has been on reading books by people I’m acquainted with … Continue reading
Those who know me well know that I’ve been working hard for several years on a new optics textbook. Well, I can finally say that it is available for pre-order on Amazon! The book is Singular Optics, by me: Gregory … Continue reading
The first in a (hopefully) series of posts inspired by topics covered in my upcoming textbook on singular optics. Crewed balloon rides have a surprisingly large role in the history of science. The first untethered balloon flight was performed in Paris on November … Continue reading
I recently participated again in the annual UNCC Science and Technology Expo, showing off neat science demos to the public. This year, I decided to add a table of “Optics and Illusions,” to show how science and our own brains can … Continue reading
I’ve been kind of quiet here lately, partly due to my job and partly due to writing blog posts and essays for other venues. Happily, one of these blog posts is now available to read over at American Scientist, on … Continue reading
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.
