Sign in

MIT Press

@mitpress.bsky.social
75K followers 1.8K following 2.5K posts

Committed to the daily re-imagining of what a university press can be since 1962. Website: mitpress.mit.edu The Reader (our home for excerpts, essays, & interviews): thereader.mitpress.mit.edu MIT Press Direct: direct.mit.edu

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by MIT Press
Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 1h
Hear former EFF Executive Director Cindy Cohn and EFF co-founder John Gilmore discuss the Secret Service’s “Operation Sundevil,” jet-setting tech titans, tie-dyed cypherpunks, and a fateful house party in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district amid the earliest battles for online privacy.
eff.org
Privacy’s Defenders Podcast: Cowboys, Cypherpunks and Visionaries
People are increasingly concerned about the ways in which mass surveillance is tracking our every move: from Flock license plate readers to face recognition to creepy ads that – based on what we see a...
1248
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 1h
"Morbid pulls no punches. Why did Newman write it? 'Sheer bloody-mindedness.'" @irishexaminer.bsky.social interviewed Saul Newman on his book "Morbid," out October 13th: www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/he...
irishexaminer.com
Will you live to 100? The numbers don’t add up
Saul Newman’s book ‘Morbid’ debunks the science behind the longevity industry and the claim that people in blue zones live longer
052
Reposted by MIT Press
Data by Design @dataxdesign.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Join us on Thursday, October 29 for our New York book launch event at P&T Knitwear Bookstore from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Get tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/lauren-kle...
1104
Reposted by MIT Press
Dr. Tom Frieden @drtomfrieden.bsky.social · 10h
Honored by the words of colleagues and friends who have found that The Formula for Better Health offers a roadmap to build a healthier future. The paperback version comes out on October 6. All proceeds go to programs working to improve health around the world. mitpress.mit.edu/978026205096...
042
Reposted by MIT Press
Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Perfectly timed with the forthcoming publication of Felipe's new book NEUROSCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY II (just like we planned it)! mitpress.mit.edu/978026205590... @felipedebrigard.bsky.social @mitpress.bsky.social
mitpress.mit.edu
Neuroscience and Philosophy II
Neuroscience and Philosophy II, edited by Felipe De Brigard and Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, continues the interdisciplinary mission of its predecessor by bring...
1132
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 10h
"A century before a human being left Earths’ gravitational pull, Verne saw technology reshaping his world and penned a novel that captures the complex social, political, and *human* reality of innovation and space exploration." @reactorsff.bsky.social @anaklimchy.bsky.social
reactormag.com
Misunderstanding the Genius of Jules Verne — And Why It Matters to Science Fiction - Reactor
Our cultural obsession with Verne's predictive abilities ignores the real critical nuance and power of his writing, to everyone's detriment.
0269
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Candidates’, parties’, and committees’ spending reveals that AI is fast becoming an essential tool of politics. Nathan Sanders and Bruce @schneier.com, co-authors of "Rewiring Democracy," take a closer look at new campaign finance disclosure data for @theguardian.com.
theguardian.com
New campaign disclosures reveal how much American political campaigns spend on AI tools
Though politicians are quiet about how they use AI, the book Rewiring Democracy examines how AI is starting to influence American politics
064
Reposted by MIT Press
Luis Villa @lu.is · 25/09/2026
Highly recommend @natematias.bsky.social @alondra.bsky.social et al on building audit skills and mindsets: short, concrete, practical. mitpress.mit.edu/978026205172...
mitpress.mit.edu
Auditing AI
Our lives are increasingly governed by automated systems influencing everything from medical care to policing to employment opportunities, but researchers an...
0182
Reposted by MIT Press
Dr. Karen Huxtable-Jester 🍎📚🎓🔥 @drkarenhj.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
So much has already been written about this, but this week I am reading Getting Learning Right mitpress.mit.edu/978026205420... which nails it.
mitpress.mit.edu
Getting Learning Right
As the challenges to higher education continue to mount, Chris Gallagher, Kristi Girdharry, and Kevin Smith believe that the surest path forward is a renewed...
162
Reposted by MIT Press
Jen Hoewe @jenniferhoewe.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Today is my book's release day!!!
0142
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
New this week from the MIT Press. Congratulations authors! 📚👇
152
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"The data collected as we attend to content is the unwitting work we do for those who want to monopolize our time. It is this kind of labor that creates surplus value for them in the attention economy."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
When Culture Becomes “Content”
Can art still illuminate reality in an age of monetized attention, generative AI, and culture produced at limitless scale?
1135
Reposted by MIT Press
Max Haiven @maxhaiven.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Fascism is back and it's fun. The cheated players of gamed capitalism want revenge. The antifascist game is about more than slaying Nazis. It's a podcast interview with the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social about my book The Player and the Played (now available open-access from @mitpress.bsky.social )
2152
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Emily Arnesen and Kyutaro Matsuzawa's research in @restatjournal.bsky.social shows that intimate partner violence can increase by 10% in a team’s home market after an upset loss, and the effect is greater when mobile sports betting enters the picture: direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
A screenshot of an abstract from an article written by Emily Arnesen and Kyutaro Matsuzawa, published March 13 2026. The title is "Sports Betting Legalization Amplifies Emotional Cues and Intimate Partner Violence"

The abstract: This study emplores the relationship between legalized sports gambling, unexpected emotional cues stemming from NFL home team upset losses and reported intimate partner violence (IPV). Using 1995-2022 crime data from NIBRS, replicating and extending Card and Dahl (2011)'s model, we find that legalized gambling increases the impact of upset losses on IPV by 10 percentage points. The effect is larger in states with mobile betting, where higher bets were placed, around paydays, and for teams on a winning streak. These results suggest that financial losses from gambling amplify emotional reactions to unexpected team losses.
0157
Reposted by MIT Press
Seth Turner @sethaturner.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Really interesting piece. Adorno and Horkheimer’s work on the culture industry becomes more relevant as time goes on.
094
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"Attention, like crude oil, is treated like a scarce natural resource that must be extracted, processed, and refined."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
When Culture Becomes “Content”
Can art still illuminate reality in an age of monetized attention, generative AI, and culture produced at limitless scale?
0218
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"Through a delightful mix of dry wit and textured storytelling, Jess Rahbek has crafted an insightful explanation and a really fun read." —Cas Holman, inventor of Rigamajig "This is Why You Love LEGO" is coming Oct. 13th! Pre-order your copy: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205491...
Cover image of "This is Why You Love LEGO" by Jess Uhre Rahbek on a red background. The cover is yellow and resembles a yellow brick.
0101
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
"'I know of nothing in nature, in reason, or in revelation,' [Bergh] said at an early meeting of the ASPCA, 'which obliges us to suppose that the unalienated rights of a beast are not as sacred and inviolable as those of a man.'"
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
How a Horse Flu Outbreak Spurred an Early Animal Rights Crusade
In 1872, New York’s devastating epizootic gave the ASPCA’s young founder a powerful moral argument for animal protection.
0111
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
"The emphasis on bans has come at the cost of progress on platform policies and features that make the online world better for people of all ages."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
Teen Social Media Bans Miss the Point
Instead of treating platforms as monoliths, adults and policymakers should listen to the young people who know them best.
1235
Reposted by MIT Press
Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
A very good article looking at the backroom deals and legal wranglings that form the modern state of the Tetris IP. thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-bizarre-...
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
The Bizarre, Murky History of Soviet-Born Tetris
Behind the beloved game lies a struggle over mathematical ideas, erased collaborators, offshore millions, and copyright power.
0135
Reposted by MIT Press
The Video Game Library 📚 @thevideogamelibrary.org · 26/09/2026
1859. 𝐒𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐓 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐂𝐊𝐒: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐙𝐙𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐒 𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐄𝐒 👉 www.thevideogamelibrary.org/book/soviet-... This new book sets out to explore the geopolitical and legal history of the bestselling videogame Tetris. @mitpress.bsky.social #Gaming #Tetris #Booksky
Book cover for “Soviet Blocks.” Blue, red, and white Tetris blocks fall into place to form a flag resembling the United States flag, against a completely black background, with the book’s title in red at the top.
0235
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
From Carbon Footprint to Carbon Wave: @tricyclemag.bsky.social hosts author @leahstokes.bsky.social on October 7th for a virtual talk on her empowering framework for protecting our planet. Sign up here: tricycle.org/events/carbo...
tricycle.org
From Carbon Footprint to Carbon Wave: An Event with Leah Stokes
Join us on October 7 for a free virtual event on rethinking our approach to the climate with professor Leah Stokes.
0106
Reposted by MIT Press
Michael Erard @michaelerard.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Somewhere in the world there's a newspaper columnist exhorting that "if you're uttering last words, make them good ones." You don't need BYE BYE I LOVE YOU to know why this isn't realistic. It will explain the columnist's exhortation and give you a sense of what people do have control over.
a cover of Bye Bye I Love You by Michael Erard as designed by the crack graphic design team at MIT Press
193
Reposted by MIT Press
Michael Brownstein @michaelbrownstein.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Chuffed to learn that my book with @dryan149.bsky.social and @madva.bsky.social has been shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Book Prize for Social Justice. The winner will be announced Oct 7th. @mitpress.bsky.social @goddardriverside.bsky.social
074
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Just one month until Gascia Ouzounian’s brilliant new book, "The Trembling City," is out. The book exposes the often-overlooked acoustic violence of genocide. Learn more/pre-order here: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205648...
Cover of "The Trembling City: The Sonic and Atmospheric Violence of Vibrational Warfare," over a gray background.
0217
Reposted by MIT Press
Goddard Riverside @goddardriverside.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Congratulations to Advancing Peace by Jason Corburn and DeVone Boggan for @mitpress.bsky.social. It made the shortlist for the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice! #GoddardBookPrizes
The cover of the book plus the words Announcing the 2026 Shortlist
131
Reposted by MIT Press
Jen Hoewe @jenniferhoewe.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Check out a new podcast from the @newbooksnetwork.bsky.social where I talk about my forthcoming book, Enjoyment Is Breaking News, from @mitpress.bsky.social! I explain the book’s arguments and detail how we can all do better in our news use. Listen here: newbooksnetwork.com/enjoyment-is...
newbooksnetwork.com
Jennifer Hoewe, "Enjoyment Is Breaking News: How We Became Less Informed and More Divided (and How to Fix It)" (MIT Press, 2026) - New Books Network
122
Reposted by MIT Press
Patrick McCray @patrickmccray.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Pleased to see this displayed at the Kluge Center
2191
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"If the goal of education is to maximize learning, then the system should be designed to connect students with the best instructors for them, not to protect faculty interests or maintain outdated structures."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
Masters of None: The Flawed Logic of One-Size-Fits-All Education
Mastery learning and one-on-one instruction could transform education. Why do we settle for less?
5325
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Our heartfelt congratulations to "A Black Gaze" author Tina Campt, who has been named the 2026–27 Scholar in Residence at @momanyc.bsky.social. Her book "Art in a Time of Sorrow," a poignant account of art's healing power in the face of profound grief and social grievance, will publish in fall 2027.
A headshot of Tina Campt against a white and purple background. Under her name reads 2026-2027 MoMA Scholar in Residence.
0113
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"Artificial intelligence and atomic energy have become curiously entangled: they now share a grid, an apocalyptic vocabulary, and as of this year a Doomsday Clock." Nathan Ensmenger revisits his essay on the environmental consequences of our information technologies.
thebulletin.org
The dirty parts of the computing world, revisited
Ten years ago in these pages, I argued that the environmental costs of computing were the dirty little secret of the digital economy. That secret is now out: Data centers have become the subject of…
2134
Reposted by MIT Press
Data by Design @dataxdesign.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Already pre-ordered Data by Design? Submit a proof of purchase to receive your own riso bookplate signed by members of our project team. forms.gle/9fVQwb77QRVg... Pre-order Data by Design, out October 20 by @mitpress.bsky.social, at dataxdesign.io.
0115
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
The Tetris Company says it owns the pieces in Tetris, but there’s one problem: Those geometric forms were described decades before Tetris existed. Julien Mailland details the game’s Kafkaesque journey from Soviet labs to “capitalist copywrongs.”
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
The Bizarre, Murky History of Soviet-Born Tetris
Behind the beloved game lies a struggle over mathematical ideas, erased collaborators, offshore millions, and copyright power.
1249
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Neurologist Richard E. Cytowic offers compelling evidence that we can change the way we use technology, resist its addictive power, and take back the control we have lost. "Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age" is available in paperback: mitpress.mit.edu/978026204900... @neuromandc.bsky.social
A copy of "Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload" by Ricahrd E. Cytowic on a white background. The cover is an image of a rock split with a mobile screen.
1152
Reposted by MIT Press
Joshua Basseches @joshuabasseches.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I just finished @leahstokes.bsky.social's new book, The Carbon Wave. I'd planned to read it slowly over weeks, one short chapter each day as a break from other tasks-- to unwind. Ended up reading the entire thing in 24 hours, simply because I couldn't put it down. (1/2)
4315
Reposted by MIT Press
Blaise Agüera y Arcas @blaiseaguera.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
What do we actually mean when we talk about “AGI”? Enjoyed discussing this with @georgemusser.com for his latest piece in @sciam.bsky.social.
1137
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Dr. Khiara M. Bridges joined The Pain Gap podcast to discuss "Expecting Inequity: How America's Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans" with host Anushay Hossain. Listen here: anushay.substack.com/p/dr-khiara-...
The Pain Gap graphic featuring an image of a pink bandaid and a silver microphone. A quote from Khiara Bridges reads "In a lot of ways in my scholarship, I've become a petulant 2-year-old. Where I'm saying, 'It's not fair. It's just not fair.' And that's the book in a nutshell: It's just not fair that we have created these conditions."
092
Reposted by MIT Press
Data by Design @dataxdesign.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Join us on 10/20 for our Atlanta book launch event at Charis Books and More: @laurenfklein.bsky.social @chronictanvi.bsky.social @marguread.bsky.social @kanarinka.bsky.social This hybrid event is free, but registration is required for virtual attendance🍑 charisbooksandmore.com/event/2026-1...
033
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"We were all hippies. We all had long hair, and Ray didn’t," recalls Mitchell Kertzman. "Ray was a straight guy. You would not have picked out Ray to be the owner of the Tea Party and the guy that hired all these hippies and musicians. He still looked like a lawyer."
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
The Harvard Law Student Who Sparked Boston’s Underground Rock Revolution
With a botched lease on his hands, Ray Riepen launched a legendary rock club and turned a struggling FM station into Boston’s countercultural voice.
1171
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"An authoritative, scientific overview of what goes on in the brain at this crucial time in the lives of mothers and their babies." — Joseph LeDoux, author of "Anxious" "A Mother's Brain" publishes October 6th: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205478...
3D cover image of "A Mother's Brain: The New Science of the Neuro-Maternal Revolution" by Susana Carmona on a blue background.
2196
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"In a democracy, the answer to a bad law is not a judge who refuses to enforce it. It is a citizenry that refuses to accept it." An essay adapted, in part, by Nikolas Bowie and @daphnarenan.bsky.social's contribution to "America Unfinished" in the @BostonGlobe.com.
bostonglobe.com
The Constitution belongs to ‘We the People,’ not nine justices - The Boston Globe
The Supreme Court was never meant to have the last word on self-government.
2130
Reposted by MIT Press
Jen Hoewe @jenniferhoewe.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
My book, Enjoyment Is Breaking News, will be released in one week! I’m very grateful for the positive reviews it’s received so far. Pre-order options from @mitpress.bsky.social are available here: lnkd.in/gXFi4H4s
073
Reposted by MIT Press
The Syllabus @the-syllabus.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
How did a puzzle game created in a KGB-monitored Soviet computer lab cross the Berlin Wall and become a global blockbuster? From its 1980s origins through complex licensing deals, our book of the week traces the rise of Tetris. By Julien Mailland on @mitpress.bsky.social buff.ly/cLR8jgs
buff.ly
Soviet Blocks: The Bizarre Puzzle of How Tetris Embraced Western Values
A geopolitical and legal history of the bestselling videogame Tetris—the stunningly successful game that began in a Soviet research lab monitored by the KGB.Tetris—the game that would take the world…
066
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
New this week from the MIT Press. Congratulations authors! 📚👇
Five book covers on a light pink and gray gradient: "Soviet Blocks," "Neuroscience Discoveries," "Peer Production," "Analog Labor in a Digital World," and "Our Own Language  Lang a nou"
1136
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
"The true prescience of Verne’s novel doesn’t lie in imagining that humans will go to space ... It lies in his nuanced vision of space exploration ... as a political project that exists in a complex social and economic context, and which comes with its own costs." @reactorsff.bsky.social
reactormag.com
Misunderstanding the Genius of Jules Verne — And Why It Matters to Science Fiction - Reactor
Our cultural obsession with Verne's predictive abilities ignores the real critical nuance and power of his writing, to everyone's detriment.
0386
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
In 1872, a massive horse flu, dubbed the Great Epizootic, broke out in New York. Concerned about sick horses being forced to work, the founder of the ASPCA helped turn a public health crisis into a moral battle over animal rights.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu
How a Horse Flu Outbreak Spurred an Early Animal Rights Crusade
In 1872, New York’s devastating epizootic gave the ASPCA’s young founder a powerful moral argument for animal protection.
1163
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Archiving Machines" and "The Patina of Distrust" are co-winners of this year's Best Information Science Book Award from ASIS&T! We're proud to be able to provide both of these books #openaccess. Congratulations authors!
Two book covers on a grey background: "The Patina of Distrust" and "Archiving Machines"
1256
Reposted by MIT Press
Lauren Klein @laurenfklein.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
We're one month away from our official pub date! Join us in Atlanta, New York, Boston, or online for one of our book release events! More at: dataxdesign.io/events
Flyer announcing book release events in Atlanta on 10/20, New York on 10/29, and Boston on 11/12. A historical chart appears in the top half of the image.
1239
MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
"Archiving Machines" is this year's @aoir.bsky.social Nancy Baym Book Award winner! Congratulations to author Amelia Acker and the Information Society Series editors on this incredible honor.
0122
Reposted by MIT Press
Alex Hanna @alexhanna.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Excited to announce that I've signed a contract with @mitpress.bsky.social for a new book! It's about ImageNet, a dataset of 14 million photos. Without it, we likely wouldn't have "AI" as we currently know it. I've been thinking about this book for over 5 years, and am excited to finally write it.
Screenshot of a deal report from Publishers Marketplace that reads: “Coauthor of AI CON and cohost of the Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 podcast Alex Hanna’s NET WORKS: IMAGENET AND THE CREATION OF THE MODERN AI DATASET, on the labor behind ImageNet’s cache of 14 million photos from the early aughts that became the backbone of AI datasets, to Rachel Moore at MIT Press (world).
2843156