While the theory of special relativity is often associated with the idea of traveling faster than light, this book shows that in all these cases subtle forces of nature conspire to prevent these motions being harnessed to send signals faster than the speed of light. The author tackles these topics both conceptually, with minimal or no mathematics, and quantitatively, making use of numerous illustrations to clarify the discussion. The result is a joy to read for both scientists familiar with the subject and laypeople wishing to understand something of special relativity. While the theory of special relativity is often associated with the idea of traveling faster than light, this book shows that in all these cases subtle forces of nature conspire to prevent these motions being harnessed to send signals faster than the speed of light. Introduction Light and relativity Imaginary paradoxes The velocities′ play Superluminal motions Slow light and fast light Tachyons and tachyon– like objects The speed of light as a fundamental constant of Nature „… as serious and accurate, as a scientific publication, and as absorbing and entertaining as a good scientific popularization. Among hundreds books on relativity this one is special.” Prof. Edward Parilis, California Inst. of Technology, Pasadena, USA „… supplementary reading material to the standard texts, that expands on the concepts without getting hyper– specialized.” D. Green, The New School University, NY, USA „… the physics community will enthusiastically receive this book and […] it will be widely adopted by physics and engineering teachers as a complementary textbook.” S. Piatek, New Jersey Inst. of Techn., USA „Dr. Fayngold knows how to tell a story.” S. Piatek, New Jersey Inst. Of Techn. „Dr. Moses Fayngold has written an extremely interesting book on special relativity and what happens in theory when objects travel at speeds faster– than– light. Undergraduates and graduate students will find his vivid detailed examples very helpful in learning relativity and in working out many fascination paradoxes of relativity – including both the familiar „twin paradox” and less– familiar apparant contradictions of relativistic puzzles.” Dr. Stephan Rosen, Director Scientific Career Transitions, NY. „To sum up: the book covers all aspects of superluminal phenomena.” Norbert Dragon, General Relativity and Gravitation, vol. 36 (2004) Moses Fayngold is Special Lecturer at the Physics Department of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he is also involved in the research activities of the Multi– Disciplinary Optical Science and Engineering Program. He has been lecturing for some 20 years on special relativity, both to non– specialized audiences in public planetariums as well as to undergraduate and graduate students. „… supplementary reading material to the standard texts, that expands on the concepts without getting hyper– specialized” D. Green, The New School University, NY, USA „… the physics community will enthusiastically receive this book and […] it will be widely adopted by physics and engineering teachers as a complementary textbook.” S. Piatek, New Jersey Inst. of Techn., USA „Dr. Fayngold knows how to tell a story.” S. Piatek, New Jersey Inst. Of Techn.
