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Rafelski presents Special Relativity in a language deemed accessible to students without any topical preparation - avoiding the burden of geometry, tensor calculus, and space-time symmetries - and yet advancing in highly contemporary context all the way to research frontiers. Special Relativity is presented such that nothing remains a paradox or just apparent, but rather is explained.

A text of similar character, content, and scope, has not been available before. This textbook describes Special Relativity when rigid material bodies are introduced describing the reality of body contraction; it shows the relevance of acceleration and the necessary evolution of the theoretical framework when acceleration is critical. This book also presents the evolving views of Einstein about the aether.

In addition to a careful and elementary introduction to relativity complete with exercises, worked examples and many discussions, this volume connects to current research topics so that readers can explore Special Relativity from the foundation to the frontier.

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Preamble.- Space-Time, Light and the Aether.- Time Dilation, and Lorentz Contraction.- The Lorentz Transformation.- Measurement.- Time.- Mass, Energy, Momentum.- Collisions, Decays.- 4-Vectors and 4-Force.- Motion of Charged Particles.- Covariant Force and Field.- Dynamics of Fields and Particles.- Index.

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"This monograph on special relativity (SR) is presented in a form accessible to a broad readership, from pre-university level to undergraduate and graduate students. At the same time, it will also be of great interest to professional physicists." (Torleif Ericson, cerncourier.com, February, 2018)

"This book offers a valuable study of special relativity (SR) in a language accessible to students ... . An outstanding feature of the book is that it connects clarity in the fundamental questions about SR, and the developments of SR since 1905 to current research topics. This is an impressive book that should be beneficial for students, lecturers and explorers who are interested in SR." (Abraham A. Ungar, zbMATH 1375.83001, 2018)

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