Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Kitchn

How To Make the Best Macaroni and Cheese on the Stove

Whatever the occasion, a bowl of this mac and cheese will always spell comfort.

The Hustle

The Murky Math of the New York Times Bestsellers List

How to land one of the spots on the list.

Smithsonian Magazine

An Ode to the World’s Most Average Dinosaurs

They lacked the gargantuan size and spikes of the species museums often celebrate, but these species are how paleontologists learn about the Mesozoic.

Quanta Magazine

The Math That Tells Cells What They Are

During development, cells seem to decode their fate through optimal information processing, which could hint at a more general principle of life.

Stylist

How to Deal With a Narcissist When You Can’t Avoid Them, According to a Psychologist

While it’s always advisable to give narcissists a wide berth, it’s not always possible. Stylist asked the experts how to manage narcissistic behaviour when you can’t avoid it.

BBC Travel

‘Kulning’: A Hypnotic Swedish Singing Tradition

Singers of this ancient form of Swedish herd-calling corral farm animals with haunting melodies, drawing in cows, goats, sheep and ducks with each hypnotic note.

Literary Hub

25 Legendary Literary Feuds, Ranked

Ding ding ding: Let the fight begin!

MEL Magazine

A Blinding History of the Laser Pointer

They can wreck your eyes, and they can land you 14 years in jail for shining one at a police chopper. But where did they come from?

Fast Company

A Neurosurgeon Shares His Effective Strategy for Overcoming Fears

Instead of letting fear control your actions, be mathematical about your reaction and decision-making process by using this method.

Bon Appétit

The 3-Ingredient Tuna Spaghetti I Fell for in Italy

Yes, two of the ingredients are tuna and spaghetti.

Atlas Obscura

How Did the World’s Smallest Flightless Bird Get to Inaccessible Island?

The first scientists to describe the animal thought it might have walked.

The Atlantic

The Invasion of the German Board Games

Their peaceful premises and intricate rule systems are changing the way Americans play—and helping shape an industry in the process.

Popular Collections

Curated guides to the best reads on the web

Pocket Collections

The Art of Navigating Thorny Office Politics

From bad bosses to gossipy colleagues and, of course, office refrigerator drama.

Today’s Pocket Hits

Wednesday, July 30

Outside

After the Biggest Doping Bust in Years, What’s Next?

Now that the fastest marathoner in history, Ruth Chepngetich, has been caught, is it time to give up and let athletes dope?

MIT Technology Review

Chinese Universities Want Students to Use More AI, Not Less

Unlike the West, where universities are still agonizing over how students use AI in their work, top universities in China are going all in.

The New Yorker

Mexico’s Molar City Could Transform My Smile. Did I Want It to?

More than a thousand dentists have set up shop in Los Algodones. Their patients are mostly Americans who can’t afford the U.S.’s dental care.

The 19th

Debbie Dingell Tells Her Story — Even When She Doesn’t Want To

The Michigan congresswoman is again recounting her childhood experiences as funding to combat domestic violence is under threat.

The Hustle

The Only State Without a Walgreens Pharmacy

Many independent pharmacies are in turmoil throughout the US. But a unique law has made North Dakota a haven for mom-and-pop operators.

Maclean’s

Confessions of the Working Poor

I work hard, buy quality clothes and know how to fake my way through dinner-party conversations. But behind the scenes, I’m part of a fast-growing Canadian underclass.

BBC

Record-Breaking Divers Are Pushing Human Limits and Reshaping Scientists’ View of Our Species

Humans have a long history of diving to forage from the seabed and today elite freedivers are reaching greater depths than ever. Some researchers argue humans belong in the sea.

The Guardian

The Rise and Fall of the British Cult That Hid in Plain Sight

Philippa Barnes was a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an adult, she helped expose the shocking scale of abuse it had perpetrated.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Discover

Building Blocks of Life in Deep Space Could Mean Life Extends Further Than Once Thought

Learn more about the prebiotic molecules who’s origins come from deep space.

Natasha’s Kitchen

Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe

Our homemade Sourdough Pizza Dough Recipe makes the perfect crispy, chewy crust using active sourdough starter. It’s also easy to make ahead.

The New York Times

Study May Undercut Idea That Cash Payments to Poor Families Help Child Development

Rigorous new research appears to show that monthly checks intended to help disadvantaged children did little for their well-being, adding a new element to a dispute over expanded government aid.

PS

Why Having a “Sleepover Friend” Is Simply the Best

A friendship expert explains what a sleepover friend is and what makes this type of friendship so special.

Real Simple

People Are Protein Maxing With the Viral “6 Eggs 6 Ways” Trend—We Asked RDs If It’s a Good Idea

The viral “6 Eggs 6 Ways” TikTok Trend is a way people are trying to up their protein intake. We spoke to a registered dietitian to see if this is a good food combination to try at home.

Vanity Fair

Fantastic Four: First Steps Is a Hit. Is That a Good Thing?

The movie is bland and perfunctory—and if it had failed, the studio might have been forced to try harder next time.

The Verge

One of Nintendo’s Most Creative Super Nintendo Games Is Now on the Switch

Mario Paint has been added to the Nintendo Switch Online’s SNES catalog and supports the Switch 2’s mouse mode.

Literary Hub

What Happened When I Tried to Replace Myself With ChatGPT in My English Classroom

My students call it “Chat,” a cute nickname they all seem to have agreed on at some point. They use it to make study guides, interpret essay prompts, and register for classes, turning it loose on the course catalog and asking it to propose a weekly schedule.

The Conversation

What to Do When Wasps Crash Your Picnic – a Scientist’s Guide to Dining Safely With These Insects

Did you know wasps switch from ham to jam foraging during the late summer?

Business Insider

I Was Laid Off and Can’t Find a Job. My Savings Are Nearly Gone and My Self-Confidence Is Low, but I Believe I’ll Find One.

Michelle Keller was laid off from the company she worked at for 20 years. She’s applied for dozens of jobs and is worried about her finances.

Los Angeles Times

This Robot Uses Japanese Tradition and AI for Sashimi That Lasts Longer and Is More Humane

El Segundo based Shinkei Systems Corp. uses robots and AI to automate ikejime, a centuries-old Japanese fish processing technique for premium seafood.

Salon

New Soda at Costco. Same $1.50 Dog?

Pepsi is out, Coke is in — and Costco fans are watching closely to see if the $1.50 dog-and-soda deal survives.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

While the Fed Kept Its Benchmark Unchanged, Here’s What Happened to Consumer Borrowing Rates

When it meets this week, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its key short-term interest rate at its current target range — where it has stayed for all of 2025.

CNBC

Even Many High-Earning Americans Don’t Feel Wealthy. Here’s Why

Many high earners in the U.S. still feel broke. Between lifestyle creep, debt and social pressure, even $200,000 per year doesn’t always buy peace of mind.

Vox

How to Make the Hardest Choices of Your Life

From picking a career to picking a spouse, one radical philosophical idea will guide you.

USA TODAY

Trump’s Trade Deal With the EU: What It Means for Your Wallet

The new tariff could increase prices on goods such as cars, furniture and pharmaceuticals. Trump's tariffs are expected to raise prices by 1.8% in the short term, per the Yale Budget Lab.

CNBC

Animal Shelters Are Crowded as High Costs Squeeze Pet Owners

Millions of animals are stuck in increasingly cramped shelters because their owners are struggling to pay rising vet bills and other expenses.

The Cut

What If a Child Was Terrified of Food?

The rise of ARFID, a new eating disorder driven not by body image but by fear.

The Associated Press

If You Don’t Have Diabetes, Do You Really Need a Continuous Glucose Monitor?

A quarter-size device that tracks the rise and fall of sugar in your blood is the latest source of hope — and hype — in the growing buzz around wearable health technology.

The Guardian

Trust Your Gut and Fail Bravely: Seven Influential Women on the Advice They Would Give Their 30-Year-Old Selves

It’s tempting to imagine what we might have done differently. But, as Diana Nyad says: ‘We earn our wisdom.’

NPR

In a First, the Senate Confirms a New CDC Director

Susan Monarez is the first director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to require Senate confirmation. She’s also the first director without a medical degree in more than 70 years.

NPR

The Manhattan Gunman Believed He Had CTE. What Does That Mean?

The gunman accused of killing four people in New York City suspected he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE — a degenerative brain disease often associated with football players.

The Guardian

‘It Would Destroy Me’: Fear of Student Loan Default Haunts US Borrowers

The Trump administration has ended the pandemic-era pause on repayments, leaving many facing colossal debts.

The Atlantic

The Problem With Rewards Credit Cards

Their fees are getting higher—and their benefits are sometimes wildly complicated to redeem.