-
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: Science fiction
Private Eye, by “Lewis Padgett”
I thought I’d take a one day break from invisibility stories to talk about one of my favorite science fiction stories of all time: “Private Eye,” by Lewis Padgett, published in the January 1949 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. It … Continue reading
Posted in Mystery/thriller, Science fiction
Leave a comment
The Invisible Death, by Victor Rousseau
Will I ever run out of vintage science fiction stories about invisibility to write about? I hope so, because otherwise my book draft will never be polished off. Some authors of weird fiction seem to be addicted to invisibility. One … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
1 Comment
Slan, by A.E. van Vogt
Yet another story that features the physics of invisibility, continuing my series of posts inspired by the research into my upcoming book on the history of invisibility physics! A secret race of mutant humans, gifted with superpowers, hides out from … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
3 Comments
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
1 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
1 Comment
H.G. Wells insults the entire human race (1924)
Most everyone knows the name H.G. Wells: he is one of the founders of science fiction as a popular and accepted form of literature, thanks to his brilliant novels The Time Machine (1895), The War of the Worlds (1898), and … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Science fiction
4 Comments
Spoiler-filled The Rise of Skywalker thoughts…
Back from China and hoping to get some more blogging done! After some 24 hours of non-stop travel, I got back on the 23rd and decided to stay awake as long as possible by going to see the final movie … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Personal, Science fiction
3 Comments
A chat with H.G. Wells (1897)!
Now that Falling Felines is out, I’m doing research for my next popular science book, which I will talk more about soon! In the meantime, I will share interesting tidbits that I come across in my explorations, such as this … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Science fiction
4 Comments
The Dragon Corps, by Natalie Grey
One thing I really enjoy about being on twitter is meeting and learning about authors that I might otherwise not have encountered in my rather limited experience. These experiences are pretty much always rewarding, and the same is true with … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
Leave a comment
The City and the Stars, by Arthur C. Clarke
I have such a big backlog of books to blog about — even though I’ve been struggling to focus on reading for fun! But there are so many good books that I’ve read, from a variety of eras and writers, … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
1 Comment
Skulls in the Stars 