Pocket Future

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.

Allure

“I Felt Misled”: Are Women Getting the Full Truth About Egg Freezing?

We talked to 26 women who have frozen their eggs — these are the 8 things they wish someone had told them first.

Smithsonian Magazine

Puppies Are Born Ready to Communicate With Humans

Research shows that very young dogs with little human contact can understand pointing gestures—and that the ability has a strong genetic basis.

Knowable Magazine

Can Cosmology Untangle the Universe’s Most Elusive Mysteries?

From the Big Bang to dark energy, knowledge of the cosmos has sped up in the past century — but big questions linger.

BBC Future

Should You Avoid Eating Burnt Food?

Do you scrape the burnt bits off a piece of toast? Some research suggests that might not be a bad idea.

The Conversation

How Memory ‘Clutter’ Makes It Harder to Remember Things as We Get Older

Forgetfulness is often regarded as a sign of old age. But what exactly is going on in the brain that makes it more difficult for older people to remember things?

Bicycling

The Making of a Monster

Centuries ago it was an idyllic earthen path. Today, it’s the most dangerous road for cyclists in America.

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.

Literary Hub

43 of the Most Iconic Short Stories in the English Language

From Washington Irving to Kristen Roupenian.

Scientific American

Can Introverts Be Happy in a World That Can’t Stop Talking?

Acceptance is key to the well-being and authenticity of introverts.

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.

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?

The Walrus

How I Solved the Century-Old Mystery of a Miraculous Shipwreck Survivor

In a disaster worse than the Titanic, it was believed a young man swam over six kilometres to safety. It didn’t add up.

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.

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.

MIT Technology Review

Inside the Most Dangerous Asteroid Hunt Ever

As space rock 2024 YR4 became more likely to hit Earth than anything of its size had ever been before, scientists all over the world mobilized to protect the planet.

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 Kitchn

The Famous Grilled Chicken I’ve Loved Since Childhood

Inhaling the scent of the rich, turmeric-laden marinade as it caramelizes atop the charring meat brings me right back to my middle school days, when the same smoky smell coming from the line of carts waiting just outside the school gate for hungry students would hit our noses as we impatiently waited down the final bell.

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.

How Liam Payne’s Death Is Addressed in ‘Building the Band’

The former One Direction singer died in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16 at the age of 31.

Fast Company

How to Use AI to Network

Knowing how to use AI effectively to build your network can help you build connections and land your dream job.

CBS News

Coastal Homeowners Turn to Climate-Resilient Designs to Combat Worsening Hurricane Seasons

Research shows that human-caused climate change is warming ocean waters, which is fueling stronger and more intense hurricanes.

Inc. Magazine

Use These 11 Guidelines to Decide When to Bend the Rules for Employees

Tennis player Ben Shelton wanted his sister to be there at Wimbledon, and her company, Morgan Stanley, said yes. Good or bad exception?

The Paris Review

The Language of Stones

July 7, 2025 – “It seems certain to me that, on the same walk, two beings, unless they resemble each other in some strange sense, could not possibly pick up the same stones.”

The Verge

Thread Count: Ikea Is Stitching Together a Smarter Home

Over 20 new devices are on the way.

Gizmodo

An AI That Promises to “Solve All Diseases” Is About to Test Its First Human Drugs

A secretive, Google-backed lab is using artificial intelligence to invent new medicines for humanity’s worst illnesses. But can we trust drugs designed by a mind that isn’t human?