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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 story of the electron (1901)
When we are taught the history of physics, it is quite common for major discoveries to be introduced in an abbreviated form that loses much of the very interesting context. We are told “Scientist X discovered Y in year XXXX,” … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics
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“Invisibility” reviewed at Nature!
My book Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen has been out for about 4 months now, and activity around it has settled down a lot. So it was a lovely surprise when my friend Liza … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Personal
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What is the Mössbauer effect?
So a few weeks ago I described a 1960 experimental test of time dilation in Einstein’s special theory of relativity that applies the Mössbauer effect to measure precise changes in the frequency of gamma rays. I only briefly described the … Continue reading
Posted in Physics
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1901: Kaufmann measures relativity and doesn’t know it
The special theory of relativity has been extensively tested ever since Albert Einstein formulated it in 1905, and is essential in understanding numerous fields of physics, from astrophysics to nuclear physics to particle physics. Recently, I’ve been exploring some of … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Relativity
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The Einstein Theory of Relativity, by Lillian Lieber
I have been criminally unaware of the works of Lillian Lieber until recently. Somehow, I got wind of one of her books, the extremely unconventional 1945 book The Einstein Theory of Relativity, and from the description I knew I had … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Relativity
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A radioactive test of special relativity (1960)
Einstein’s special theory of relativity still is met with disbelief by a lot of non-physicists, and it is probably one of the most active areas of physics science denial out there. Write about relativity, and it is quite likely that … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics, Relativity
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Phantom of the Seven Stars, by Ray Cummings
I’ve been trying to post something every day to the blog for as long as I can, and it has been quite an exhilarating ride! I’m nearing the end of that run, and what better way to celebrate it, and … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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What the heck is the “speed of light?” Part 2
In Part 1 of What the heck is the “speed of light?”, we noted how light in matter can move much slower than the vacuum speed of light c, or even appear to move much faster than c, under the … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
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What the heck is the “speed of light?” Part 1
Most of us have heard a statement similar to the one that follows: “The speed of light is constant.” That particular phrasing of the statement comes from none other than the American Museum of Natural History’s Einstein exhibit, so I … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
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Some book news!
First of all, I got news that The New York Times may be running the review of my book on Invisibility in the Sunday, June 4th issue! Previously, the review appeared online way back in mid-April. This hasn’t been officially … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Personal
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