Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Smithsonian Magazine

Can a ‘Fingerprint’ of Your Brain Help Predict Disorders?

Using new medical imaging techniques, researchers are working to identify early signs of developmental disorders and mental illness.

Aeon

Acting Like an Extrovert Has Benefits, but Not for Introverts

Psychologists are beginning to explore the potential, life-changing benefits of certain personality traits.

The War Zone

When Secret Mystery Planes Landed At The Air Bases Where I Was Stationed

It may sound like fiction, but on rare occasions, ordinary air bases have extraordinary mystery visitors. It happened to me, twice.

Popular Science

Here’s Why Your Body Stores More Fat in Certain Places

Nature is just too good at stashing away our excess energy in the form of flab. And it’s hard to fight nature.

Romper

30 Questions To Ask Kids When They Get Home From School

“How was school today?” just isn’t cutting it.

CityLab

How London’s Taxi Drivers Navigate the City Without GPS

Drivers of the city’s black cabs can teach satellite navigation apps a few things about how to plan the most efficient route.

Bon Appétit

Big-Flavor Broccoli

This is our hands-down favorite way to cook the whole plant.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

Dostoyevsky, Just After His Death Sentence Was Repealed, on the Meaning of Life

“To be a human being among people and to remain one forever, no matter in what circumstances, not to grow despondent and not to lose heart—that’s what life is all about, that’s its task.”

The Washington Post

They’re All Good Boys and Girls, But Only Some Can Be Service Dogs

Researchers are working to identify early signs that a dog is cut out to be a working canine.

Homes & Gardens

When to Plant Vegetables – Our Month-by-Month Guide

Plan your vegetable planting for the year with this handy monthly calendar.

Quartz

How Headphones Are Changing the Sound of Music

One important impact appears to be on vocals.

Inverse

Can Spicy Food Boost Our Gut Health? Here’s What the Science Says.

Foods that help the microbiome flourish could provide a host of health benefits.

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, August 6

NPR

What’s the Deal With Electrolyte Drinks — Do You Need Them to Stay Hydrated?

A classic 20-ounce bottle of lemon-lime Gatorade contains nearly one-eighth teaspoons of salt and 80 milligrams of potassium — electrolytes “to help replace what you sweat out,” the product’s ads say.

Quanta Magazine

At 17, Hannah Cairo Solved a Major Math Mystery

After finding the homeschooling life confining, the teen petitioned her way into a graduate class at Berkeley, where she ended up disproving a 40-year-old conjecture.

SELF

The ‘Contrarian Friend’ Is Real—and They’re Driving Everyone Crazy

When disagreeing with you becomes someone’s entire personality.

Slate

I Quit Drinking. It’s Great. There’s Just One Small Problem.

How do I deal with my emotions without whiskey?

The Guardian

Frying Solo? 20 Pantry, Fridge and Freezer Essentials for Single Households

Olives, chickpeas and dukkah are a few of the basic ingredients writer and former caterer Elizabeth Quinn keeps on hand. Here she shares quick recipes for eating solo.

Scientific American

The Hidden Way Allergens Attack Nose, Throat and Lung Cells

The immune system senses damage to cell membranes caused by pore-forming proteins and mounts a response.

POLITICO Magazine

Meet the Fraudster Who Wants to Make California Its Own Country

The man behind the Calexit movement claims to be a baller. But he’s broke.

The New Yorker

Treating Gaza’s Collective Trauma

In Gaza, where displaced children play games called “air strike” and act out death, the lack of mental-health resources has become another emergency.

How Laura Loomer’s Pressure Campaigns Are Reshaping the Trump Administration

Far-right activist Laura Loomer has helped oust over a dozen Trump administration officials who she’s accused of being disloyal to Trump.

The Guardian

‘The Forest Had Gone’: The Storm That Moved a Mountain

On a small ledge in the Swiss mountains, 200 people were enjoying a summer football tournament. As night fell, they had no idea what was coming.

Texas Monthly

How an Upper-Class Treat Became the Frozen Dessert of the People

Unlike many frozen desserts, such as sorbet, shaved ice, and sherbet, nieves de garrafa do not have European or Asian provenance. Their history originates in ancient Mexico, before the Spanish conquest.

The Associated Press

What to Know As Israel Considers Reoccupying Gaza in What Would Be a Major Escalation of the War

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering ordering the full reoccupation of the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.

Axios

ICE Arrests Decline Amid Backlash to June Immigration Raids

The drope followed protests over the waves of raids by masked immigration agents in June — particularly in Southern California.

Variety

Lyrical Media Launches Indie Video Game Publisher Led by UTA, Take Two Vet Blake Rochkind

Alexander Black’s production company Lyrical Media has launched privately funded indie video game publisher Lyrical Games.

Romper

The Stuff I’m Excited for My Kid to Learn This Year Has Nothing to Do With Academics

There are other lessons just as important as reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The Associated Press

The World Nearly Beat Polio. But Fake Records, an Imperfect Vaccine and Missteps Aided Its Comeback.

The World Health Organization has closed in on its bold goal of eradicating polio several times, but the paralytic virus is entrenched in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

CBS News

Billions of Starfish Have Died in a Decade-Long Epidemic. Scientists Say They Now Know Why.

A sea star wasting disease sparked a mass die-off from Mexico to Alaska, devastating more than 20 species and continuing today.

SELF

6 Things I Learned From Blowing up My Marriage (and Life) in My 30s

Disappointing others is uncomfortable—but it’s not the same as doing something wrong.

BBC

How Pac-Man Changed Gaming - and the World

Celebrating his 45th birthday this year, the yellow eating machine revolutionised video games – and has even been used in science. What has made him and his adventures so addictive?

Smithsonian Magazine

You Can Now Have a Conversation With the Statues at Versailles Using Artificial Intelligence

Through the palace’s smartphone app, visitors can speak with nearly two dozen stunning sculptures and fountains at the historic site in France.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CBS News

RFK Jr. Halts $500 Million for MRNA Vaccine Research

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the federal government is calling off around $500 million worth of vaccine development projects that use mRNA technology.

NBC News

Tips to Help Manage Your Buy Now, Pay Later Loans

While such loans can help you make large purchases without paying interest or undergoing hard inquiries in your credit report, they can also easily be overused.

The Guardian

Burn Notice: Gen Z and the Terrifying Rise of Extreme Tanning

Nasal sprays, injections and sunbeds – for many people, the yearning for a tan now outweighs the risks. But why?

SELF

5 Injuries ER Doctors See All the Time—and How to Avoid Them

You might be surprised by the seemingly innocuous behaviors that cause them.

HuffPost

This Magic Number Is the Highest Heel Height You Should Wear, According to Podiatrists

“Listen to your feet, because they’re trying to tell you something.”

BBC

The Unusual Brains of Noise-Sensitive People

Though noise sensitivity is often dismissed by doctors, it can have long-term effects on our mental and physical health.

ABC News

How Trillions in Government Debt Could Hit Your Wallet, According to Experts

A federal agency ratcheted up its estimate of debt tied to Trump’s spending law.

CNBC

Credit Card Debt Reaches $1.21 Trillion — in Line With Last Year’s All-Time High, NY Fed Finds

Credit card balances rose by $27 billion in the second quarter to $1.21 trillion, according to a new report by the New York Fed.

Fast Company

These Creatives Moved to Europe and Designed a Better Life and Career. Should You?

Thinking of leaving the United States for life abroad? You’re not alone. A record-setting 21% of Americans expressed a desire to emigrate in 2024. While politics might play a role in the uptick, an increasing number of creative professionals are also leaving for career reasons.

Allure

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Popular Collections

Today’s Pocket Hits

Recommended Reads

Life Hacks