Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Smithsonian Magazine

Five Shocking Animal Hybrids That Truly Exist in Nature, From Narlugas to Grolar Bears to Coywolves

The now-famous “virgin” stingray Charlotte is not having hybrid babies, scientists say. But in nature, distinct species sometimes interbreed to produce surprising offspring.

Elle

What If Therapy Could Be a Walk in the Woods?

Ecotherapy involves reconnecting with yourself and the natural world around you—while honoring the legacy of land and its caretakers.

Mental Floss

13 Tantalizing Facts About the Lost Colony of Roanoke

What happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke? Corporate greed, dreadful diplomacy, and the wrath of Mother Nature. Also, we don’t know.

Bon Appétit

Your Dishwashing Style Says a Lot About Who You Are

There are two types of cooks: Those who clean as they go and those who let it all pile up for later.

Quanta Magazine

Artificial Intelligence Will Do What We Ask. That’s a Problem.

By teaching machines to understand our true desires, one scientist hopes to avoid the potentially disastrous consequences of having them do what we command.

SELF

Actually, ‘Bed Rotting’ Can Be a Very Legit Form of Self-Care

It’s called rest, people.

Narratively

The Day a Native American Tribe Drove the KKK Out of Town

The North Carolina Klan thought burning crosses would scare the Lumbee tribe out of Robeson County. That’s not how things went down.

Men’s Health

How Many Calories You Can Burn Just By Walking

Walking is an effective, low-impact cardio workout with benefits that go well beyond calorie burn. Still, here’s what to keep in mind if you’re keeping track.

Darius Foroux

If Social Media Makes You Feel Bad, Quit Using It

There’s no sense in spending time and energy on something that consistently makes you unhappy.

The Conversation

To Break Unhealthy Habits, Stop Obsessing Over Willpower

Understanding and changing the environment in which habits form is a critical step when it comes to breaking unwanted behaviors and forming healthy ones.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

On Children: Poignant Parenting Advice from Kahlil Gibran

Considering the deepest existential calculus of bringing new life into a troubled world.

Delish

Apple Pie Cheesecake

It’s the best of both worlds.

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

Monday, July 14

The New Yorker

How to Save a Dog

For nearly a year, a motley crew scoured New Orleans for a shaggy white mutt named Scrim.

Popular Science

How Do Airplane Toilets Work?

The engineering is surprisingly simple and remarkably clever.

The Narwhal

Emptying the Nest: Parenting Lessons From Bald Eagles

A photographer follows a pair of bald eagles in southern Ontario, returning to their nest every year to raise their young, and send them off

Nautilus

Is the Show Finally Over for These Whales and Dolphins?

They were bred to entertain in a now-shuttered marine park. Now they need to be rescued.

Texas Monthly

At 40, She Discovered She Was One of America’s Best Free Divers

Sara Burnett went from an introductory course to a world championship in just over a year.

Business Insider

Can Millennial Dads Have It All?

Millennial dads spend much more time with their kids than their boomer parents, but they’re still struggling to break the breadwinner stereotype.

The Hollywood Reporter

Sharks, ‘Sweethearts’ and Subs: 19 Docs and Real-Life Series to Watch This Summer

Whether you’re seeking true-crime tales, celebrity-focused fare or a closer look at the world around you, there’s something new for various tastes.

WIRED

AI Is a Lousy Chef

I asked an AI-powered recipe generator to make some menus. It didn’t tell me to put glue in my guacamole, but the results didn’t come close to besting recipes written by professionals.

Why Everyone You Know Is Suddenly a Birder

A pandemic pastime has grown into something deeper.

Time

The New Superman Hinges on a Radical Reinvention of the Man of Steel’s Parents

James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ makes one of the biggest changes to Superman’s origin the character has ever seen.

BBC

North Korea’s Benidorm-Style Resort Welcomes First Russian Tourists

Details of how it was built - in a country largely closed to the outside world - are shrouded in secrecy.

CBS News

Texas Floods Endangered Livestock and Damaged Crops. Here’s How Farmers Are Dealing With the Aftermath of the Disaster

Flash floods in Texas last week killed at least 121 people and left more than 170 missing. Farmers are now working to assess damage to their properties.

Time

The Long History Behind Krypto the Superdog

The very good boy dates back many decades, and his inclusion in the new Superman movie adds more than just a dose of cuteness.

BBC

Sea Snot: The Noxious Plague Troubling Istanbul’s Coast

As summer warms Istanbul’s waters, the megacity’s authorities are having to battle a noxious algal bloom dubbed “sea snot”.

ESPN

Judge MLB’s Fastest to 350 HRs, but Yankees Lose

Slugger Aaron Judge became the fastest player to hit 350 home runs in MLB history Saturday, but it wasn't enough for the Yankees, who lost to the Cubs 5-2.

Fast Company

BYD’s Cars Can Now Fully Park Themselves. Game Over, Tesla

BYD, the Chinese car company, is the first automaker to add full Level 4 autonomous parking to all its cars.

Kiplinger

Inherited a House? Here’s How to Decide What to Do With It

When you inherit a property, the decision to keep, rent, or sell can feel overwhelming, especially when emotions are involved. Here’s what you need to consider.