Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Harvard Business Review

How to Beat Procrastination

If you only focus on the task, there’s always an easier one. But the pestering task often has the greater reward.

Mental Floss

14 Experiments Gone Wrong

From studies that would never pass ethical muster in the present day to disastrous product launches, here are some experiments that went horrifically wrong.

Afar

How the Eternal City Brought My Mom Back to Life

Before she lost her to cancer, an AFAR editor spent five days in Rome with her mom, learning how to live a fuller life.

CityLab

Cities Don’t Have Souls. Why Do We Battle For Them?

What do we mean when we say that the “soul of the city” is under threat? Often, it’s really about politics, nostalgia, and the fear of community change.

Shondaland

How to Make New Friends Whether You’re an Introvert or Extrovert

Two friendship coaches break down myths about personality types and let us in on how to take part in new social situations with deeper connections — and less anxiety.

Romper

How to Deal With the Overzealous Gift Giver

An etiquette expert explains how to manage your kids’ feelings, as well as the onslaught of stuff.

Apartment Therapy

45 One-Minute Cleaning Tasks You Should Do Right Away

Quick habits that will keep your home cleaner, forever.

Smithsonian Magazine

Could Weirdly Straight Bolts of Lightning Be a Sign of Dark Matter?

A group of scientists say the phenomenon could indicate dark matter speeding through our world at more than 300 miles a second.

Fast Company

How to Stop Wasting Your Life Watching TV and Do Something Worthwhile With Your Downtime

With a busy life, chances are you only have an hour or two of free time each night. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Inc.

The One Sentence That Will Make You a More Effective Speaker

This one simple trick will make all your speeches clear, concise, and compelling.

Epicurious

How to Make Vinaigrette, From Super Basic to Extra Fancy

Homemade salad dressing can be as simple as a two-ingredient blend or a seven-ingredient masterpiece.

MIT Press Reader

The Hidden Powers of Everyday Ritual

Psychological anthropologist Bradd Shore explores the subtle but powerful influence of rituals on shaping our lives.

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

Thursday, July 10

The Guardian

The Terrifying Truth About Why Tesla’s Cars Keep Crashing

Elon Musk is obsessive about the design of his supercars, right down to the disappearing door handles. But a series of shocking incidents – from drivers trapped in burning vehicles to dramatic stops on the highway – have led to questions about the safety of the brand. Why won’t Tesla give any answers?

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

The World Bank Set Out to Transform Health Care for the Poor in Africa. It Drove Patients Deeper Into Poverty.

A surge in private equity funding for hospitals left a trail of crushing debts, patient detentions and broken promises.

BBC

Beyond Words: The 200-Year-Old Hidden Languages of Dating

From Regency-era "fan flirting" to coded gifts, people have perfected the art of discreetly signalling their love over many centuries.

The Guardian

Walkouts, Feuds and Broken Friendships: When Book Clubs Go Bad

While most book clubs go off without an issue, when they do turn sour the fallout can be significant. So why do some go wrong – and what can be done to prevent it?

The Paris Review

Monks in Jersey

A coming-of-age ceremony, a Burmese bar mitzvah, a meditation retreat: I had called it all of those things to friends in the weeks before.

CNN

Trump’s Sudden Shift on Weapons for Ukraine Takes the War Back to Square One

For a fleeting moment, Ukraine’s conflict may have come full circle. In the past 48 hours, US President Donald Trump has perhaps said his most forcefully direct words yet on arming Ukraine. And in the same period, the Kremlin have given their blankest indication to this White House that they are not interested in a realistic, negotiated settlement to the war.

The Cut

What Plastic Surgery Couldn’t Fix

I thought if I fixed my body, I could fix how I felt. Three surgeries later, I was further from myself than ever.

DW

Why US Chocolate Tastes Weird to the Rest of the World

Chocolate is popular almost everywhere. But tastes vary depending on the continent. While some regions like their chocolate sugary sweet, others prefer more fruity or nutty notes.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Discover

Climate Change Threatens Global Milk Supply, Even on Cooled Dairy Farms

Learn how dairy cows are responding to increasingly warmer temperatures and what farmers can do to help protect them.

Real Simple

The Smartest Way to Freeze Strawberries So They Taste Fresh for Months

If you overdid it on your berry-picking, you might be wondering how to freeze strawberries to preserve them for future use. Learn the best tips for freezing strawberries, and how long they’ll last in the freezer.

TASTE

Restaurants Are Still Printing Postcards? It Has Nothing to Do With Mail.

In this digital era of QR code menus, the restaurant postcard finds renewed purpose—and fans.

Los Angeles Times

Why Parker McCollum’s New Country Album Might Be the Best He’ll Ever Make

The 33-year-old country star talks about the scruffy self-titled LP he made with producer Frank Liddell.

CBS News

AI Could Determine Whether You Get Hired or Fired As More Managers Rely on the Technology at Work

There could be legal risks associated with using AI to determine who climbs the corporate ladder and who loses their job.

Fast Company

What Great Leaders Can Learn From Their Customer Service Teams

The best customer service reps are empathetic, adaptable, and clear communicators—qualities every leader needs in uncertain times.

HuffPost

The Future of Fashion Is Beautiful — and It’s Happening Under New York City

These budding designers are examining the role we all play in the politics of style.

SELF

7 Common Causes of Dry Mouth—and How to Fix It

The pesky problem can oftentimes be simple to solve.

CBS News

Beef Prices in the U.S. Are Searingly High. Here’s Why.

Beef costs around the U.S. surged to a record high in May. What’s driving that jump, and are prices likely to ease up?

Big Think

Why Memento Mori Is the Ultimate Life Hack

Confronting mortality can help clarify what truly matters beyond superficial achievements. Memento mori practices can lead to a fuller life.

Popular Science

Shipwreck Fragment Linked to One of WWII’s Strangest Rescue Tales

Coconut trees helped saved the USS New Orleans after a torpedo hit.

PS

This “Snail Mail Swap” Is Rewriting Adult Friendships

A viral snail mail swap on Instagram connected thousands of pen pals around the world, bridging the gap between generations and the on- and offline worlds.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Gizmodo

This Cough Syrup Ingredient Might Actually Slow Dementia

Several larger trials of ambroxol for Parkinson's are already underway.

Harvard Business Review

How to Identify the Perfect Cofounder

One of the first and most important decisions entrepreneurs make is whether to go it alone or bring on cofounders.

CNBC

‘Revenge Savings’ Can Boost Your Bottom Line, Experts Say — Here’s How to Get Started

Saving more money is a perennial resolution, but emotions shouldn't drive that habit, financial experts say. Instead, be intentional. Here's how to get started.

The New York Times

Measles Cases Hit Record High, 25 Years After U.S. Eliminated the Disease

Experts worry that if vaccination rates do not improve, deadly outbreaks will become the new normal.

The Atlantic

I Fought Plastic. Plastic Won

My futile quest to avoid the material that my entire world is made out of.

Harvard Business Review

When It’s Time to Leave a Career You’re Passionate About

People worry that others will see them as immoral and incompetent for quitting their passion. These fears are often misplaced.

The Washington Post

I’m a Gastroenterologist. Here’s Why I Tell My Patients to Eat This One Fruit.

Kiwis can boost your gut health. They may also lower triglycerides and cancer risk.

CNBC

Recruiter: I’ve Placed Over 1,000 People Into Jobs–Here’s the No. 1 ‘Closing Technique’ to Nail Your Interview

In this environment where it’s difficult to get your foot in the door, one mistake that some recent graduates make is assuming that their degree will automatically get them a job.

NPR

4 Things to Know About the Vaccine Ingredient Thimerosal

The federal government could soon recommend that people only receive flu shots made without an ingredient called thimerosal.

The New York Times

How Many Dates Should You Go on Before You Start Talking About Money?

Couples tend to dance around discussing how much they earn or owe early in a relationship. But experts agree that talking about money sooner is better than later.

HuffPost

I Paid Off a School’s Lunch Debt. Then Strangers on the Internet Did Something Truly Stunning.

This is proof that strangers can decide, together, to make things better.

Fast Company

How to Trick Your Nervous System Into Calming Down When You’re Stressed at Work

Understanding how your body works can be the key to reducing stress. For example, you’re probably aware of your fight-or-flight response—the body’s way of preparing itself when it believes it’s being threatened.