Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Apartment Therapy

How To Wash a Pillow by Hand or Washing Machine

And how often they should be washed.

Architectural Digest

The 11 Most Beautiful Post Offices Around the World

From Algeria to Arizona, at these unique buildings you can drop off packages in architectural wonders.

Smithsonian Magazine

When Coal First Arrived, Americans Said ‘No Thanks’

Back in the 19th century, coal was the nation’s newfangled fuel source—and it faced the same resistance as wind and solar today.

Knowable Magazine

The Wasps That Tamed Viruses

To protect and rear their young, some insects have transformed wild viruses into tiny biological weapons.

Bloomberg

Can Toothpaste Tubes Be Recycled Across the US? It’s Getting Closer

Three out of four plastic squeeze tubes on the US market are now made in a way that allows them to be recycled alongside shampoo bottles.

Greater Good Magazine

When Are You Most Likely to Catch Other People’s Emotions?

Researchers discovered an important factor that influences how contagious emotions are.

Literary Hub

“The Greatest Menace to the Writer is the Reader” and Other Advice from Shirley Jackson

(But don’t worry, you can beat them at their own game.)

MIT Press Reader

The Two-Century Quest to Quantify Our Senses

The quantification of bodies, senses, and experience can be traced back to mathematical and statistical techniques of the 19th century.

GQ

Want to Live a Longer, Healthier Life? It’s Time to Start Strength Training

You don’t have to pick up bulky, heavy weights to reap the benefits of strength work.

The Guardian

Mobility Masterplan: 10 Essential Exercises for a Strong, Active, Happy Life – Whatever Your Age

Whether your goal is to get super-fit, or to stay independent as you get older, you need a combination of flexibility and strength. Here’s how to look after both your muscles and your joints.

Inverse

I Went to Carl’s Jr.’s AI Drive-Thru and All I Got Was Sad

Fast food chains are experimenting with having AI assistants take orders. The results aren’t particularly satisfying.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

The Four Buddhist Mantras for Turning Fear into Love

“When you love someone, the best thing you can offer that person is your presence.”

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

Monday, July 21

New York Magazine

Inside the Media’s Traffic Apocalypse

The whole premise of internet publishing is starting to crumble.

The New Atlantis

Does Marriage Have a Future?

From the Industrial Revolution to the pill to AI girlfriends, technology is unbundling what used to be marriage’s package deal.

Popular Science

Why Do Our Ears Pop on a Plane? An Audiologist Explains.

Tricks to fix it go beyond chewing gum.

Boston

Blood Feuds: The Fight Over Who Gets to Be Native American

A Rhode Island tribe’s quest for state recognition has sparked a controversy.

The 19th

She Helped Get Rid of Measles in Her County. This Is Her Advice on Stopping Its Spread.

Lubbock County in Texas has been free of measles cases for more than 50 days. But Katherine Wells, director of the Lubbock Health Department, is staying vigilant.

Grub Street

Is All This Salt Killing Us?

Doctors have long warned about the risks of too much sodium. But in an era of Maximum Flavor, we crave it more than ever.

Outside

Here’s Exactly What It Takes to Run—and Then Recover From—100 Miles

Physiologists track the calories burned and fluids consumed during a mountain ultra.

Virginia Quarterly Review

Dark Ride to the Source

Holding on to Joy at Disneyland.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Futurism

Leaked Document Reveals Troubling Details About How AI Is Really Being Trained

Recently obtained “safety guidelines” from Surge AI, a data labeling company, reveal the ethical dilemmas facing AI workers.

Popular Mechanics

How to Start Birdwatching (Even If You Don’t Have a Backyard)

From binoculars to smart feeders, these tools and tips make it easy to get started, wherever you are.

ZDNet

6 Ways to Protect Your Passport and Other Travel Docs From Cybercriminals - Before It’s Too Late

Electronic copies of travel documents are hot commodities on the dark web. Here’s how to safeguard yours.

The Associated Press

Scottie Scheffler Dominates in British Open Victory for His 2nd Major Title This Year

Scottie Scheffler is the champion golfer of the year and one step closer to the career Grand Slam.

Axios

State, Local Officials Seek to Ban ICE Agents’ Masks

Trump administration says masks are necessary for agents’ security during immigration raids.

Serious Eats

13 Stellar Summer Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

Because summer meals should be light, refreshing, and quick to make.

Parents

Dad Admits He’s Envious of Other Parents Who Are ‘Effortlessly Social’ at School Drop-Off

Even as parents, navigating social pressures with our individual personalities can be exhausting.

Inc. Magazine

Warren Buffett Says the Biggest Measure for Your Success in Life Comes Down to 1 Word

At the end of your life, only one thing will truly matter, according to Warren Buffett.

Time

What to Know About Birth Control If You Get Migraines

TIME spoke to doctors to unpack whether people who get migraines with aura can take certain types of birth control.

Discover

New Cannibalistic Robots Consume Other Machines to Grow and Heal on Their Own

Learn how “robot metabolism” allows machines to take material from their surroundings to “grow” and to “heal.”

Gizmodo

Origami Space Planes Could Solve a Major Problem in Orbit

To get started, all you need is a standard A4 sheet of paper and the folding skills of a 4-year-old.

Business Insider

My Daughter Went on a Cell-Phone-Free Weekend Trip. It Was Surprisingly Harder on Me Than on Her.

I didn't expect to be so anxious when my daughter was cell-phone free. I realized how addicted I am to the phone and how I need to change my habits.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Stylist

Managers, Here’s How to Have an Effective 1-to-1, According to Career Experts

How to help your team members get the most from your meetings.

CNBC

Student Loan Bills Could Double for Some Borrowers As Biden-Era Relief Expires

Many student loan borrowers could see their monthly bills more than double now that the Biden-era SAVE plan is defunct.

CNBC

What a Trump, Powell Faceoff Means for Your Money

Tensions are escalating between the White House and the Federal Reserve, with consumers caught in the middle.

The Walrus

Before You Share That Health Tip, Read This

Misinformation is everywhere. And yes, some of it has probably gotten to you.

Fast Company

I’m a Two-Time Tech Founder. but Restaurants Are Where I Learned to Lead

The surprising lessons the conveyor belt sushi business taught me. Sudden equipment failures. Supply chain surprises. Retaining staff as the goalposts move in real time. These aren’t challenges I’ve faced as a tech founder—but I have faced them running restaurants.

The Week

How Can You Get the Maximum Social Security Retirement Benefit?

For many, Social Security benefits are a key part of their retirement plan. So it makes sense that you would want to get the most possible from this monthly source of income.

Money.com

Why You Probably Need Flood Insurance — Even if You Don't Live Near Water

Over the Fourth of July weekend, parts of central Texas were devastated by flash floods after the region was hit with the equivalent of four months' worth of rain in just a few hours. At least 134 people were killed, and more than 100 are still missing as of press time.

Yahoo

What Is ‘Revenge Saving,’ and Should You Hop on the Trend?

“Revenge saving” emphasizes making up for poor financial habits by being aggressively frugal or restrictive with your current spending.

GQ

What to Wear to a Job Interview, According to Hiring Experts

Make sure your suit fits, don’t dress too sexy, and other essential advice from professionals in law, tech, finance, and marketing.

Kiplinger

I Want to Buy an Annuity, but I’m Scared I’ll Get Ripped Off. Should I Get One Anyway?

An annuity is a way to achieve lifetime income in retirement, but you need to understand how this product works before making a purchase.

NPR

‘Panicking’: Why Recent College Grads Are Struggling to Find Jobs

Recent college graduates are facing one of the most challenging job markets in years — with the exception of the pandemic period — even as the overall unemployment rate remains low.

Business Insider

The Hot New MBA Hustle

Millennials’ hottest new career pivot: ditching the corporate grind to run unsexy small businesses.