MIT Releases 2026 Reading List Featuring 43 Books by Faculty and Staff

Should central bankers read Sun Tzu before raising interest rates? How do woodpeckers peck ten thousand times a day without sustaining brain damage? And why do governments still trade with enemies in the midst of war? These compelling questions form part of the 43 books written by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) faculty and staff over the past 12 months, newly compiled into a summer reading list for 2026.

The institution gathered works published between July 2025 and June 2026, spanning six distinct categories from fantasy fiction and poetry celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary to treatises on avian biomechanics, carbon removal, and deep tech startup guides. This highlights that the renowned engineering powerhouse is also a hub for thinkers exploring a remarkably wide array of subjects.

Notable works featured in the compilation include:

• Anniversary Poetry Collection: By Joshua Bennett, Professor of Literature, who reflects on figures and inventions from all 50 states to celebrate the U.S. semiquincentennial.
• Phenomenal Moments: By Felice Frankel, research scientist in chemical engineering, inviting readers to become scientists through artistic photography revealing chemical and physical processes.
• Birds Up Close: By Lorna J. Gibson, professor post-tenure in materials science and engineering, exploring the microstructures and engineering principles that enable birds to fly and survive.
• Carbon Removal Guide: By Howard J. Herzog, senior research engineer at the MIT Energy Initiative, co-authored with Niall Mac Dowell, discussing technologies and policies for Net-Zero.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

The list also includes works such as an exploration of anti-vaccine sentiments by Thomas Levenson, a scientific look at chronic headaches by Tom Zeller Jr., executive editor of Undark, and climate change uncertainty research by Jennifer Morris and John Reilly.

Source: Techsauce