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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. -
Category Archives: Physics
The Invisible World, by Ed Earl Repp
Have we found the ultimate invisibility story? Read on… In hindsight, I should have realized that I would find a story that takes invisibility to the extreme! Once we’ve had invisible people, invisible monsters, and invisible cities, it was inevitable … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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Salvage in Space, by Jack Williamson
Yep, I’ve still got more invisibility stories to discuss! In fact, I found 4 more through searching old magazines today. Reminder that I’ll have a book on the history of invisibility physics coming out next year! Although invisibility is a … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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The Radiant Shell, by Paul Ernst
Another invisibility story! The number and variety of stories continues to amaze me. You know what we haven’t really seen yet? A good invisible spy story! “Raiders Invisible” came close, but its invisible spies were the bad guys; we need … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Mystery/thriller
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The Attack From Space, by Captain S.P. Meek
Yet another blog post about invisibility in fiction! Just as a reminder, this is to celebrate the completion of my book draft on the history of invisibility physics, coming next year (I hope). Let me recap and build upon a … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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Beyond the Spectrum, by Arthur Leo Zagat
Yet another post of invisibility fiction, driven by all the stories I found while researching my invisibility book! Here we have a curious case: an invisibility story written by a lawyer-turned-author, Arthur Leo Zagat (1896-1949)! Zagat wrote for many pulp … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility
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The Invisible Robinhood, by Eando Binder
Okay, this story seemed at first to be a pretty silly and stupid invisibility tale, but it leads down a fascinating historical rabbit hole. So follow along… The setting: the city, late at night. A young couple in love are … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Mystery/thriller
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Beyond Power of Man, by Paul Ernst
Continuing my run of stories of invisibility to celebrate finishing the draft of my book on the history and physics of invisibility! I probably should’ve waited to do this until my book is actually out… ah, well. With so many … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility
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Terrors Unseen, by Harl Vincent
Yet another invisibility story! So many invisibility stories. So, in the list of stories we’ve looked at so far, we’ve seen invisible people, invisible monsters, invisible buildings, invisible cars, invisible dogs, and invisible spacecraft. But you now what we haven’t … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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The Invisible Master, by Edmond Hamilton
I keep finding new invisibility stories! Will I ever come to an end? Stay tuned! It is pretty clear at this point that stories about invisibility were a huge business in the early to mid 20th century, and every author … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Mystery/thriller
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The Little Man Who Wasn’t All There, by Robert Bloch
More invisibility! More invisibility fiction for the gods of invisibility fiction! Or something. Again, blogging about all the invisibility stories I’ve been coming across while finishing my book on invisibility physics. It seems that pretty much every important author of … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Weird fiction
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Skulls in the Stars 