-
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 Secret of Wilhelm Storitz, by Jules Verne
My book on the history and physics of invisibility is off to the publisher for final approval, though there’s still some little stuff I want to add, including a comprehensive bibliography of stories about invisibility. Along the way, I’ve read … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction, Weird fiction
Leave a comment
Halloween Treats 2021: Invisibility edition
Every year since starting this blog, I’ve done a post near Halloween linking to a bunch of public domain horror stories to read to get into the season. It so happens this year that I also just finished the draft … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Horror Masters, Invisibility, Lovecraft
Leave a comment
Sinister Barrier, by Eric Frank Russell
Writing a book about the history and science of invisibility has led me to read things that I would otherwise never have encountered, including a whole slew of science fiction tales about invisibility and invisible creatures. I thought I would … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
Leave a comment
Personally Speaking… about Falling Felines!
Hi all, I’ve been rather busy with work lately and haven’t had much time to blog. I’ve got a lot to write about, and no time to do it! In the meantime, however, I gave a talk at my university … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Personal, Physics
Leave a comment
Some photos of the conjunction!
You may have heard that yesterday there was a rare planetary conjunction, in which Jupiter and Saturn appear very close together in the sky! Well, the planets will still be close for several days, and I thought I would go … Continue reading
Posted in Personal, Physics
Leave a comment
Presentation on “Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics!”
Okay, so I did a video presentation at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences tonight on “Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics!” Due to COVID restrictions, it’s the closest thing to a book event I’ll be doing for a while, so … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, History of science, Personal, Physics
Leave a comment
Presentation tonight on “Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics!”
Hi all! For those who might be interested in watching, I’ll be doing a live presentation about the history of falling cats and science, based on my Falling Felines and Fundamental Physics book, as a Science Cafe for the North … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Personal, Physics
Leave a comment
The Anniversary of the Laser at Cambridge University Press – Part 2!
As promised, here’s the link to part 2 of my two-part series of posts at Cambridge University Press on the 60th anniversary of the laser! This post features a discussion of the basic ideas of how a laser works, like … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
Leave a comment
How Not To Be Seen: the video!
Continuing my series of uploaded videos, tonight I recorded a version of my How Not To Be Seen: The history and science of invisibility seminar, which I’ve given and revised for probably close to ten years now! I’ve shared links … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Optics
Leave a comment
Vortices in beams of light and vortex coronagraphy video!
I while ago, I shared slides from a talk I gave at the Charlotte Amateur Astronomy Club on “Vortices in beams of light and vortex coronagraphy.” Now that I, like everyone else, am more or less homebound, I thought I … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
Leave a comment
Skulls in the Stars 