Essential Knowledge

Articles by authors in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series. Written by leading thinkers, the series offers accessible, concise books on subjects that range from the cultural and the historical to the scientific and the technical.

Latest Articles

Science & Tech

The Anti-Capitalist Case for Standards

In a capitalist world, the often-overlooked systems of technical standards offer a rare example of economic collaboration that prioritizes the public good over profit.

Jeffrey Pomerantz & Jason Griffey |

Environment

How Plants Are Responding to a Warming World — And Why It Matters

Changing phenology, while seemingly innocuous, impacts our lives in many clear and tangible ways.

Theresa M. Crimmins |

Philosophy

Animals Are More Rational Than You Think

From tool-making crows to alligators that lure birds with twigs, animals may be more rational than we ever imagined.

Mark Rowlands |

Science & Tech

A History of Cryptography From the Spartans to the FBI

Computer scientist Panos Louridas traces the evolution of secret communication, from ancient Greece to the quantum era.

Panos Louridas |

Science & Tech

How Typing Transformed Nietzsche’s Consciousness

The Malling-Hansen writing ball, with its potential and limitations, redefined Nietzsche’s philosophical and creative expression.

Robert Hassan |

Culture

The Long History of Violent Extremism

From ancient Carthage to contemporary terror cells, violent ideologies have long plagued civilizations.

J.M. Berger |

Science & Tech

A Prehistory of Scientific Racism

The author of “Whiteness” traces the evolution of race as a social and political instrument, from its beginnings in ancient hierarchies through European colonial expansion and into contemporary times.

Martin Lund |

Science & Tech

The Myths and Lore of the Milky Way

To look up at the sky and see a road for the gods, a great river, or the final resting place of your ancestors is deeply human.

Or Graur |

Economics

The Deep and Enduring History of Universal Basic Income

While the concept stretches back centuries, it has garnered significant attention in recent decades.

Karl Widerquist |

Science & Tech

A Brief 200-Year History of Synesthesia

Richard Cytowic, a pioneering researcher who returned synesthesia to mainstream science, traces the historical evolution of our understanding of the phenomenon.

Richard E. Cytowic |

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