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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. -
Tag Archives: philosophy
What is an optical caustic?
Here’s another post based on the revisions I’m making for the second edition of my Singular Optics textbook! Caustics are a subject that I’ve sort of casually understood for ages but never well enough to explain it, but book work … Continue reading
Our new paper on invisibility physics!
So I’ve written a lot about the physics of invisibility on this blog and have even written a popular science book on the subject, but many people may not know that I also still occasionally do some research on invisibility … Continue reading
Infinite singularities in an optical beam???
Working on the second edition of my Singular Optics textbook and thought I would blog about some of the fun developments in the field that I’ve come across while doing the book research! Light has wave properties, and as a … Continue reading
The most beautiful wrong equation in history (1841)
One of the topics of the history of science that has continued to fascinate me is the discovery of the principle of conservation of energy. As I discussed in my three-part series “Booms, Blood, and Beer” (part 1, part 2, … Continue reading
What is a Carnot engine?
I’ve recently been trying to “relearn” thermodynamics, a subject that I haven’t really looked at, or had to look at, for years. I put “relearn” in quotes because I never really learned it well in the first place! One of … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Physics
Tagged energy, philosophy, Physics, science, technology
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Maxwell invents a demon, people get angry (1879)
Some time ago, I was browsing 150 year old popular science magazines as one does and I found an amusing editorial from 1879 in The Popular Science Monthly titled “Explanations that do not explain.” The unsigned editorial discussed a recent … Continue reading
What is a quantum eraser?
My training and background as a physicist is largely in the field of so-called classical optics: the study of the wave properties of light. Lately, however, I’ve been planning more investigations into quantum optics — the study of the quantum … Continue reading
Posted in Optics, Physics
Tagged philosophy, Physics, quantum-mechanics, quantum-physics, science
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Einstein’s Tutor, by Lee Phillips
Book 20 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. I’ve been gearing up lately to plan my next popular science book … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Mathematics, Physics, Women in science
Tagged Mathematics, philosophy, Physics, science
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Tau Zero, by Poul Anderson
Book 7 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! I love a good science fiction story that really leans into one of the weird aspects of modern physics, and so as soon as I learned the premise … Continue reading
Godel’s Proof, by Ernest Nagel and James R. Newman
Book 2 for 2025! My goal is 30 this year. This is actually a book I read years ago but it was time for a reread to try to better understand the subject. I honestly wish more people would explore … Continue reading
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