Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Dwell

The Rise and Resurgence of the Great American Row House

Throughout U.S. history, the row house has endured and adapted as an underappreciated model for accessible urban housing.

Dwell

As a Child of Immigrants, I Feel Guilty for Embracing the Minimalist Aesthetic

The Mexican-Chinese home I grew up in was filled with expressions of our family’s culture. Now, my bare-bones Brooklyn apartment tells a different story.

Narratively

Confessions of a Failed Self-Help Guru

I traveled around the country telling strangers how to better their lives—until I learned that those offering to solve your problems are often the ones who need help.

Stylist

Can Cleaning the House Count as Daily Exercise? We Asked the Experts

Cleaning can be a sweat-fest, but does it count as an exercise session? Here, two PTs share their thoughts.

Knowable Magazine

The ‘Least Crazy’ Idea: Early Dark Energy Could Solve a Cosmological Conundrum

Measurements of the acceleration of the universe don’t agree, stumping physicists working to understand the cosmic past and future. A 2023 proposal seeks to better align these estimates.

Greater Good Magazine

Seven Ways to Help Someone with Anxiety

Knowing how anxiety works can help you to better support loved ones without inadvertently making their anxiety worse.

Scientific American

Play Is Serious Business for Elephants

Young dogs, apes and other animals develop skills needed to survive and reproduce.

Fast Company

How to Tap Into Your Brain’s 4 Attention States to Get More Done

Instead of using traditional time management techniques, we need to manage our attention and workflow.

The Drive

How to Change a Car Battery

The basic steps to swap out a dead battery for a new one.

BBC Future

How to Teach Children About Risk

Lessons in the rational appraisal of danger may be the secret to a happier, healthier life – and they can be mastered through a few simple steps.

Inc.

Want to Make Difficult Conversations Easy? Try This 1 Counterintuitive Trick, According to Psychology

The anxiety you feel before entering a tough conversation can be greatly mitigated.

Romper

How to Talk to Your Kids About War & Help Them Feel Safe

Wars continue to happen in all corners of the world, and children are going to have questions.

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

Friday, August 15

The New York Times

He Announced His Intention to Die. The Dinner Invitations Rolled In.

In early December, a 28-year-old Ghanaian artist and entrepreneur named Joseph Awuah-Darko announced on Instagram that he wanted to die.

The New Yorker

Why Hasn’t Medical Science Cured Chronic Headaches?

More than 1.2 billion people worldwide suffer from migraine and other debilitating conditions that are under-studied and often not taken seriously.

CBS News

This Car Ranks as America’s Most-Stolen Vehicle

Here’s why one Chevrolet model is the most-stolen type of car, according to a new report.

NPR

Why the Origin of the Word ‘Dog’ Remains a Mystery

They’re known as man’s best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — “dog” — is also a great linguistic mystery.

Travis Kelce on His Upcoming Season, Post-NFL Ambitions, and Life With Taylor Swift

After a grueling Super Bowl loss, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end spent his summer vacation focused on coming back stronger than ever.

NPR

Recommendation: New Books Published This Week

A portrait of the lucrative drug-treatment industry; a memoir of a female firefighter; debut fiction from an Emmy-winning TV writer; and a brand new Karin Slaughter thriller.

New York Magazine

The Crypto Maniacs and the Torture Townhouse

How two men charged with an outrageous kidnapping scheme introduced a new kind of crime to the city.

The Conversation

Can Air Conditioning Really Make You Sick? A Microbiologist Explains.

If an air conditioning system malfunctions or isn’t properly maintained, it can become contaminated with infectious microbes.

The Surprising Reason Behind Slimy Deli Meat (and Whether It’s Safe to Eat)

What to do when you discover a sheen on your salami.

Smithsonian Magazine

Third Places Are Being Reimagined—and Welcoming Travelers in the Process

Outside of home and work, spaces like parks, food halls and libraries are stepping up with social offerings.

Vox

The 25 Pieces of Culture That Explain the Last 25 Years

From Lord of the Rings to the ramen craze to Ozempic, the cultural touchstones that help us understand the 21st century.

Vox

What a 62-Year-Old Maid Explains About Childhood

This quietly subversive book has been captivating kids for generations.

Homes & Gardens

Get Bigger and Better Pumpkins by Planting Them With These 7 Companion Crops

Plus, discover what not to plant with your pumpkins

Vox

Are We Living in the Movie ‘Her’ yet?

AI will undoubtedly shape the next 25 years. We just don’t know how yet.

Fast Company

The Quiet Ban That Could Change How AI Talks to You

With no federal rules in place, Illinois, Nevada, and Utah are crafting their own protections for patients.

Outside

Exploring Tennessee’s Top Lakes

The state’s most famed fishing legend partners with its most beloved lakes to protect and improve premier destinations for angling adventures

NBC News

Why Arab Rulers Aren’t More Vocal About Gaza As Global Outcry Grows

“The tragedy of Gaza, the destruction of Gaza, could really serve as a time bomb that implodes the Arab political order from within,” said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics.