Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Narratively

Diary of a Bachelor Who Suddenly Became a Solo Dad to a Teenage Girl

I was an 18-year-old father who couldn’t be there for his baby. I know, you’ve heard this one before. How about this part? Twelve years later Krystasia’s mom walked away and never came back.

The Atlantic

Why Your Vet Bill Is So High

Corporations and private-equity funds have been rolling up smaller chains and previously independent practices.

BBC Future

The Ancient Persian Way to Keep Cool

From ancient Egypt to the Persian Empire, an ingenious method of catching the breeze kept people cool for millennia.

Mental Floss

20 Cool Facts About the Ice Age

From what causes ice ages and how many we’ve had, to the species that thrived and the ones that died, here’s what you need to know.

Smithsonian Magazine

The Medieval Sect That Inspired the Video Game ‘Assassin’s Creed’

The Order of Assassins is loosely based on the Nizari Ismailis, who formed a Shiite Muslim state that relied on political assassination to achieve its goal.

The Guardian

‘Sim Farms’, High Heels, Zombie Knives: What Scammers Buy With the Money They Steal

A haul of items seized by police reveals the scale and threat of payment fraud – a crime that can have significant emotional impact on victims.

Greater Good Magazine

11 Things to Do When You Feel Lonely

Many of us are feeling a bit lonelier these days. These tips may help—some involving other people, and some you can follow all by yourself.

The Marginalian

Mary Shelley on the Surest Remedy for a Sunken Spirit and What Makes Life Worth Living

“There is but one solution to the intricate riddle of life; to improve ourselves, and contribute to the happiness of others.”

Knowable Magazine

How Maternal Mood Shapes the Developing Brain

Medical psychologist Catherine Monk explains how prenatal mental care benefits mothers and babies.

The Guardian

The Lost Girls: ‘Chaotic and Curious, Women With ADHD All Have Missed Red Flags That Haunt Us’

After multiple burnouts, in my early 30s I finally knew why life sometimes felt harder for me. It made perfect sense, so why had no one noticed before?

Greater Good Magazine

Four Ways to Calm Your Mind in Stressful Times

A sense of calm offers us strength and resilience amid the chaos of life.

Good Housekeeping

This Dad’s Trick for Getting Picky Kids to Eat Is Brilliant

Let’s just say he “retired” a little early.

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 8

Food52

Our 10 Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes of All Time

From crispy to chewy, we’ve collected the best of the best.

The New Yorker

The Internet Wants to Check Your I.D.

New safety rules require users to verify their identities before gaining access to sites. This spells the end of the relative anonymity that we’ve come to expect online.

The Atlantic

The Tech Novel’s Warning for a Screen-Addled Age

Elaine Castillo’s second novel captures the numerous ways that screens help people hide from themselves.

The Toronto Star

What Michael Did

How does a family cope when one member — in the midst of a psychotic episode — kills another?

Atavist

The Talented Mr. Bruseaux

He made his name in Chicago investigating race riots, solving crimes, and exposing corruption. But America’s first Black private detective was hiding secrets of his own.

Saveur

That Chewy, Bouncy Texture You Love Has a Name

Whether in boba tea, cuttlefish, rice noodles, or cassava dough, the texture of QQ connects people across cultures and generations.

The Guardian

Knife Throwing and Cheeseburger Spinning: The Agony and Ecstasy of Being a Viral Trickshot Video Star

Think you could throw a basketball off a 540ft dam, into a hoop – while blindfolded? Meet the talented and ludicrously patient people putting hours into the internet’s most joyful (and pointless) clips.

BBC

How Keep Calm and Carry on Became a Divisive 21st-Century Phenomenon

After a forgotten WW2 propaganda poster was discovered in 2000, it found an astounding new resonance in 21st-Century Britain – becoming an endlessly memeable template that is both cherished and mocked.

Education Department Launches Key College Financial Aid Form Sooner Than Expected

The Education Department said the rollout of the 2026-27 FAFSA will be on schedule this year, with beta testing already underway.

CNBC

Companies Are Monitoring and Enforcing Office Attendance at the Highest Rate in 5 Years

Nearly three quarters of the 184 companies surveyed by CBRE said they have met their attendance goals, up from 61% last year.

NPR

AI Could Widen the Wealth Gap and Wipe Out Entry-Level Jobs, Expert Says

A tech expert says AI is adapting faster than the economy can adapt, potentially eliminating entry-level jobs.

The Associated Press

Keeping Work From Spoiling a Vacation Takes Planning and the Right Phone Settings

The summer vacation season is in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, but navigating the line between work time and personal time is tricky for a lot of people.