Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Guardian

It’s Time to Rethink What Loneliness Is

Research suggests that chronic loneliness may be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. But do we know what loneliness actually is?

Fast Company

5 Essential Questions to Ask Before You Accept Any Job Offer

It’s exciting to get a job offer, but there’s good reason to hesitate before accepting. Ask these questions first.

MIT Press Reader

The Extraordinary Ways Rhythm Shapes Our Lives

Rhythm plays an important role in how we perceive — and connect with — the world.

Popular Science

Why Do People Say the Moon is Made of Cheese?

The moon-cheese nexus may have started with a fable about a hungry wolf and a crafty fox.

Slate

Well-Behaved Women Make History Too

What gets lost when it’s only the rebel girls who get lionized?

Outdoor Life

The Leave No Trace Principles, Explained

Backpackers, campers, and hikers can leave the land better than they found it with these seven fundamentals.

Stylist

How to Consciously Uncouple From a Friend, No Ghosting Required

“If a friendship makes you feel unmotivated, smaller than you are, or downright crappy about yourself, then nobody said it had to be forever,” says author Laura Jane Williams.

The Drive

Making a Single Bolt for an F1 Car Takes an Insane Amount of Work

Yeah, you’re not going to find a spare just rolling around your toolbox... unless you work for Red Bull F1.

Scientific American

Physics Is Pointing Inexorably to Mind

So-called “information realism” has some surprising implications.

Greater Good Magazine

Six Tips to Avoid Being Overwhelmed by the News

Here’s how to cope when all the negative news is triggering you.

Knowable Magazine

Why Probation and Parole Don’t Work as Advertised

The current system of supervised release may do more harm than good, some experts say. How can society rehabilitate law-breakers while keeping them from re-offending?

Afar

You Don’t Have to Surf to Fall in Love With This Bohemian Moroccan Beach Town

The former fishing village of Taghazout has long been loved by surfers for its great waves and relaxing pace of life. While it’s mostly remained under the radar, word is getting out on this idyllic spot.

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

Saturday, July 5

CNN

Here’s Who Stands to Gain From the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’ And Who May Struggle

President Donald Trump has promised that the “big, beautiful bill” passed by Congress will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation in American history.

The New York Times

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.

As he turns 85, one of the last surviving Beatles is still musically curious, dispensing his signature wisdom, and preaching the gospel of peace and love.

New York Magazine

'People Want That African Euphoria'

Black Americans are moving to Ghana — and driving up the cost of living for everyone around them.

CNN

A Couple Tried for 18 Years to Get Pregnant. AI Made It Happen.

As artificial intelligence shapes fertility care, it’s now helping doctors find hidden sperm.

Reuters

They Tried Made in the USA. It Was Too Expensive for Their Customers.

Tens of thousands of American small and midsize manufacturers are facing the choice between paying steep tariffs on Chinese imports or taking on significantly higher domestic production costs.

Bon Appétit

An Inside Look at the Best Snack Trends at the Summer Fancy Food Show

At the Comic Con of snacks, we track down the latest in sweet treats, sauces, and drinks.

The Atlantic

The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness

A new book considers how weight lifting can help you unlearn diet culture.

Boston

Did We Ruin Summer Camp by Making It Safe?

The kids are all right—but are they missing out?

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Discover

More Than 100 Items in the British Royal Regalia Symbolize Power and Tradition Through the Ages

What is the British Royal Regalia? Learn more about the British Crown Jewels and how they are replaced medieval renditions after anti-monarchists destroyed them.

Undark

The Gates Foundation’s Global Reach Expands, to Mixed Reviews

As the U.S. and other countries cut funding for global health initiatives, what role will philanthropy take?

Inc. Magazine

How 1 Email From the Military Started a Global Innovation Network

I didn’t set out to build a global innovation network spanning 45 countries. Here are four lessons from my journey.

Travel + Leisure

Overbooked Flight? the Airline Could Owe You Over $2,000—Plus, How to Avoid Getting Bumped in the First Place

These are the steps you should take if you’re bumped from a flight, plus tips to avoid becoming the victim of an overbooked flight in the future.

Business Insider

Penske Is Using AI to Get Ahead of Costly Truck Maintenance Issues

Penske Truck Leasing uses telematics and AI to help predict costly truck maintenance issues, which can lead to cost-savings for its customers.

CBS News

Tariffs Could Surge on July 9 With 90-Day Pause Set to End. Here’s What Experts Think Could Happen.

Trump administration faces pressure to clinch more trade deals, with a temporary tariff freeze on dozens of countries set to expire.

BuzzFeed

31 July Recipes to Utilize All That Delicious Summer Produce (and Your Grill)

Happy tomato season to all who celebrate.

Fast Company

Employees Are Crashing Out All Over TikTok. Here’s Why

Crashing out at work is all over TikTok—but why? A new report lays out why employees feel like work isn’t working for them.

Business Insider

Need to Send a Handwritten Note? You Can Hire a Robot to Write It Instead

Handwrytten uses AI and robots to create custom physical notes for businesses and individuals. The company sends about 20,000 cards a day.

Inverse

40 Years Ago, One Addictive Computer Game Pioneered a Subgenre

In June 1985, ‘The Way of the Exploding Fist’ hit the Commodore 64. Here’s why it was such a big deal.

The Conversation

Most Plant-Friendly Fungi Are a Mystery to Scientists

Most fungi that partner with plants are known only from trace DNA sequences left in soil.

History Today

Plato’s Last Word to Dionysius

How to reform an ancient Greek tyrant? Plato’s final advice to Dionysius the Younger was not well received.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Inc. Magazine

Half of Remote Employees Nap During the Workday, a Survey Says 

Employers might want to keep an eye open for any visible facial creases, suspiciously mussed hairdos, or groggy comments during video meetings with remote staff. It turns out nearly half of people working from home admit to taking naps on company time.

Men's Health

How Long It Should Take to Walk a Mile—and How That Can Help to Improve Your Fitness

Whether you're looking to move more or you want to upgrade your daily stroll, these tips will help you pick up the pace.

Lifehacker

Five Psychological Tricks You Can Use to Make Yourself Feel Happier

It’s easy to see why being happy is such a challenge these days. People are working jobs they hate, struggling to pay bills, and living in an increasingly isolated, digitally driven world.

Fast Company

Why Office Gossip Can Be Good for the Workplace (If It’s the Right Kind of Gossip)

Gossip at work is inevitable. But what exactly workers gossip about can be key in dictating company culture. Rumor has it that gossip can be a positive force in workplace cultures, under the right circumstances.

The Conversation

Self Determination Theory: How to Use It to Boost Wellbeing

A foundational idea in self-determination theory is that we have three basic psychological needs: for autonomy, competence and relatedness.

The New York Times

Illness Took My Mother’s Independence, but It Gave Us Something Precious

An immune condition changed my mom’s life — and taught us to see art differently.

Fast Company

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation

Plan to connect with loved ones and plan to disconnect from work.

The Guardian

How Sorry Are You? Why Learning to Apologize Well Could Save Your Relationships

Got something to say sorry for? Here are words that have no place in your apologies, according to those who have spent years analysing them.

The New York Times

Better Half

The midpoint of the year is an opportune moment to look back at where we’ve been, and set our sights for where we want to go.

The New York Times

Gen Z, It Turns Out, Is Great at Saving for Retirement

Brynnley Beckman is only 23, but she is already thinking about retirement. She teaches ninth grade biology at the Shelton School in Dallas and contributes 3 percent of her salary to an employer-sponsored retirement fund. She hopes to increase her contribution by 1 percent each year.

Money.com

The Ultimate Guide to Paying Less for College

Running the numbers on typical college costs can leave you feeling breathless and wondering how you’re going to afford it. Sticker prices look staggering these days, especially for private colleges.

CNBC

Here’s the Average 401(K) Balance by Age

When it comes to our retirement nest egg, we can't help but wonder where we stand compared to our cohorts.