Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Scientific American

Going Barefoot Is Good for the Sole

Walking without shoes builds calluses, but that does not limit sensation.

The Guardian

Can’t Sleep? Tell Yourself It’s Not a Big Deal

There’s growing evidence that thinking of yourself as an insomniac is a major part of the problem.

The Kitchn

Recipe: Creamy French Mustard Chicken

Believe it or not, this elegant dish comes together in about 30 minutes using only one skillet.

Knowable Magazine

Why Isn’t Dental Health Considered Primary Medical Care?

Ailments of the mouth can put the body at risk for a slew of other ills. Some practitioners think dentistry should no longer be siloed.

Nautilus

Top 10 Design Flaws in the Human Body

From our knees to our eyeballs, our bodies are full of hack solutions.

Glamour

The Wild Stories Behind Casting Your Favorite Rom-Coms

“It was a nightmare…you name a British guy, and we saw him.”

Bloomberg Businessweek

How to Keep Uber and Lyft Rides Affordable and Make Drivers Happy

In the absence of federal legislation for app-based drivers, US cities and states have turned into gig-economy battlegrounds. Is there a better way?

Afar

10 Sanity-Saving Tips for Camping With Young Kids

Taking a baby camping? Intimidating, yes—but if you equip yourself with a bit of know-how, mitigate risk, and practice overall good judgement, a night in the woods with a tot in tow is not only possible, but is also actually rollicking good fun.

Popular Mechanics

What’s the Chemical Difference Between Hot- and Cold-Brew Coffee?

Scientists put on their barista aprons and found out.

Literary Hub

The 10 Books That Defined the 1970s

Books that paint a fair picture of the landscape of literary culture for the decade.

Quanta Magazine

In the Universe of Equations, Virtually All Are Prime

Equations, like numbers, cannot always be split into simpler elements. Researchers have now proved that such “prime” equations become ubiquitous as equations grow larger. Prime numbers get all the love.

Esquire

Creed Bratton Has a Story to Tell

He left The Grass Roots in ’69 and showed up on The Office in ’05. What the hell happened in between? Some highs, some lows, a little music, and a lot of pain.

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

Tuesday, July 22

The Guardian

Where the Wild Things Are: How to Immerse Your Kids in the Great Outdoors This Summer

Some of the most priceless holiday memories cost next to nothing – as my four-year-old son and I have found on our forays into nature.

The Walrus

Can Office Tools Help Couples Optimize for Domestic Bliss?

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the colour-coded Google Calendar.

BBC

How a Fatal Accident Ended Ted Kennedy’s Presidential Hopes

In July 1969, Senator Edward Kennedy pleaded guilty to fleeing the scene of an accident where a young aide died. But many questions about the ‘Chappaquiddick incident’ went unanswered.

Maclean’s

My Classroom Will Be AI-Free This Fall

A humanities education is vital in this polarized world. But students need to read the books.

Virginia Quarterly Review

The Game Is Played With Great Feeling

How Pokémon can save the world, one Pikachu at a time.

WIRED

A Head-to-Toe Breakdown of Social Media’s Billion-Dollar Remedies

Bad mood? Puffy face? Immune issues? Across TikTok and Instagram there are scores of influencers ready to sell you some products—without ever sending you to a doctor.

The New Yorker

In an Age of Climate Change, How Do We Cope with Floods?

The deaths in the Texas Hill Country are a tragic testament to the force of a raging river. Flood-stricken Vermont has a radical plan to counter the threat it faces.

NBC News

A Cross Between a Nicotine Pouch and an Energy Drink: What to Know About Caffeine Pouches

Teen-friendly promotion of the product is spreading on social media. Adding to the concerns is a caffeine pouch startup from a former Juul marketing executive.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

AFAR

Is Priority Pass Even a Worthwhile Travel Credit Card Perk Anymore?

Membership in this global network of airport lounges, once a coveted benefit of signing up for select travel credit cards, has lost some of its shine recently.

Vox

The Real Reason Everyone’s So Mad Over the Gen Z Stare

The debate is about a lot more than a look.

Psychology Today

How to Help Teens Feeling Summertime Loneliness

Although most teens view summer as a welcome time for freedom, fun, and relaxation, some experience profound loneliness that parents need to address.

NBC News

A Genetic Test Could Predict the Odds of Obesity, Allowing for Early Interventions

Scientists looked at the genes of millions of people to determine which ones are linked to obesity — and developed a way to screen people before age 5.

Nature

Meet the Biotech-Company Founders Driven by Their Child’s Rare Disease

For some parents, finding a cure for their child’s illness is the ultimate motivation to start a company.

Discover

Living Fossils Like the Coelacanth Have Remained Unchanged for 400 Million Years

What is a living fossil? Learn more about the living fossils among us and why this topic is highly debated among scientists.

Variety

Box Office: ‘Superman’ Surpasses $400 Million Globally, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Nears $650 Million Milestone

“Superman” continues to rule the global box office, powering to $406 million after two weekends of release.

Smithsonian Magazine

A New Generation of Tiny Tracking Tags Offers a Fresh Look at the Lives of Little Fish

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have developed a tag the size of a grain of rice that can also work underwater

NBC News

He Survived a Mass Execution at 17. Now He’s Fighting Disinformation and Denialism.

Online conspiracy theories increasingly dismiss the Holocaust and atrocities in Rwanda, Bosnia, Ukraine, Israel and Gaza. One survivor is devoting his life to fighting them.

Axios

Altman Plans D.C. Push to “Democratize” AI Economic Benefits

Altman wants to continue driving debate over the effect AI will have on jobs.

Business Insider

Embrace the Chaos: A Morgan Stanley Derivatives Exec on Life at the Desk

Iliana Bouzali, cohead of equity derivatives at Morgan Stanley, shared her advice for thriving in the booming business of sales and trading.

Los Angeles Times

January Fire Victims Face Little Used Mediation in Faceoff With Insurers

After receiving more than 1,000 complaints from Jan. 7 fire victims about how insurers are handling their claims, state regulators are considering referring hundreds of the cases to mediation — a little used process that worries consumer advocates.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Time

10 Questions to Help You Plan for the End of Life

Talking about death is often life-affirming.

CBS News

COVID-19 Cases Are Rising in These States Amid Summer Wave, CDC Data Shows

The data, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also showed a significant increase in COVID-related emergency room visits for young children.

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.

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.

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.

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.