Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Apartment Therapy

45 One-Minute Cleaning Tasks You Should Do Right Away

Quick habits that will keep your home cleaner, forever.

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.

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.

Greater Good Magazine

How Your Siblings Can Make You Happier

Sibling relationships affect us more than we probably realize—and we can work on improving them at any age.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Slate

The Rise and Decline of the “Sellout”

A history of the epithet, from its rise among leftists and jazz critics and folkies to its recent fall from favor.

Aeon

Attention Is Not a Resource but a Way of Being Alive to the World

There is a common narrative that our attention is a precious resource. But that narrative is incomplete.

Truly*Adventurous

Karaoke Man

A young Latino man in Los Angeles teams up with a Japanese restaurateur to try to bring karaoke to America.

The Atlantic

Whatever Happened to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

A national plague of workplace injuries was once a media obsession. Now it’s all but forgotten.

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, July 9

Scientific American

The Benefits of Raising Conscientious Kids

Being conscientious will serve kids in the long run. Here are some tips to help them learn that trait.

Eating Well

9 Best Foods to Help You Stay Hydrated, Recommended by Dietitians

Many fruits and veggies provide fluids and electrolytes to aid in hydration. Dietitians share their recommendations for the best foods for hydration.

The New York Times

How a Show About Truly Terrible People Became the Defining American Sitcom

Over the last 20 years, television has changed, but the malignant narcissists of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” have not.

The Guardian

You Love the Outdoors. So Why Are You Pooping All Over It?

Millions of Americans a year visit national parks and many leave their business anywhere. Contrary to popular belief, that deluge of poop is not going to decompose.

Atavist

Conversations with a Hit Man

A former FBI agent traveled to Louisiana to ask a hired killer about a murder that haunted him. Then they started talking about a different case altogether.

The Atlantic

I Fought Plastic. Plastic Won

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

Vox

Why Were the Central Texas Floods So Deadly?

How missed flood warnings and infrastructure gaps cost so many lives in central Texas.

Columbia Journalism Review

Grains of Salt

A memoir of restoration became a bestseller and a movie. Its truth is now in doubt.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Axios

Musk’s America Party Has Helpers — and Challenges

Musk has said he wants his America Party to be a political disruptor in the 2026 midterms.

NBC News

As U.S. Abruptly Ends Support, Liberia Faces Empty Health Clinics and Unplanned Pregnancies

USAID built schools and health clinics but most of the U.S. funding went to Liberia’s health system, making up 48% of its budget.

Esquire

What It Feels Like to Live Without a Smartphone

Sick of algorithmic rabbit holes and compulsively checking emails, I switched to a flip phone for two months. It wasn’t as easy as I thought.

NBC News

Gangs in Haiti Burn Beloved Gothic Gingerbread Hotel That Rose to International Fame

Even though gang violence had forced the hotel in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, to close in recent years, many had hoped it would reopen.

The New York Times

Inside the Collapse of the F.D.A.

How the new health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is dismantling the agency.

404 Media

The Open-Source Software Saving the Internet From AI Bot Scrapers

Anubis, which block AI scrapers from scraping websites to death, has been downloaded almost 200,000 times.

NBC News

Want Better Workout Results? Match Your Exercise to Your Personality, Study Suggests

It’s expected that introverts would gravitate toward solo workouts and extroverts would shine in group fitness classes, but there were some surprises.

Harper's Bazaar

Every Gorgeous Filming Location in Netflix’s the Waterfront

Where is Havenport, anyway?

Fast Company

How AI Can Help Restaurants Provide Better Hospitality

AI can help restaurants drive efficiencies, allowing human staff to focus on delivering great hospitality.

The 19th

In 2025, Why Are Men Still Afraid to Come Out in Professional Sports?

There are zero openly gay and bi men actively competing in America’s top pro sports leagues. What’s keeping the closet door shut?

Fast Company

Napster Is Back—and It’s Betting Big on Holographic Avatars

Can the nostalgic brand succeed in an increasingly crowded AI race while promising a more ethical path forward?

ESPN

Chelsea’s Transfer Strategy Still a Mystery Under Todd Boehly

Chelsea’s transfer window strategy has shifted throughout Todd Boehly’s ownership -- but it still isn’t any closer to making sense.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

NPR

‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Purchases Can Now Affect Your Credit Score. Here’s What That Means

Services that split up payments into installments are increasingly popular, especially among young and low-to-middle income shoppers. But now the FICO credit scoring company will be tracking that debt.

The Guardian

Natural Fibers and No Heathered Grey: What to Wear When It’s Really, Really Hot Out

The biggest concerns are a) maximizing comfort and b) masking sweat so one doesn’t look like a sentient pile of wet laundry.

Inc. Magazine

Half of Remote Employees Nap During the Workday, a Survey Says 

Employers might want to keep an eye open for any visible facial creases, suspiciously mussed hairdos, or groggy comments during video meetings with remote staff. It turns out nearly half of people working from home admit to taking naps on company time.