Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Greater Good Magazine

Four Ways to Cool Down Your Defensiveness

Our brains make us naturally defensive, but there are steps we can take to cultivate more humility.

Smithsonian Magazine

Can a ‘Fingerprint’ of Your Brain Help Predict Disorders?

Using new medical imaging techniques, researchers are working to identify early signs of developmental disorders and mental illness.

The Drive

Here’s How a Pro Waxes a Car by Hand

Wax on left, wax off right. Seems simple enough, yeah? Not so fast, grasshopper.

Slate

You Can Write a Best-Seller and Still Go Broke

Why is it so hard for writers to talk candidly about how much money they make?

Inverse

Can Spicy Food Boost Our Gut Health? Here’s What the Science Says.

Foods that help the microbiome flourish could provide a host of health benefits.

Bustle

The 10 Best Yoga Poses For Brain Fog, According To Trainers

As refreshing as a cold shower.

CityLab

How London’s Taxi Drivers Navigate the City Without GPS

Drivers of the city’s black cabs can teach satellite navigation apps a few things about how to plan the most efficient route.

Aeon

Acting Like an Extrovert Has Benefits, but Not for Introverts

Psychologists are beginning to explore the potential, life-changing benefits of certain personality traits.

The Guardian

Formerly Anti-Vax Parents on How They Changed Their Minds: ‘I Really Made a Mistake’

Researchers believe personal stories are more persuasive than facts alone in addressing vaccine skepticism.

BBC Worklife

How to Live With Your Regrets

Regret is often seen as undesirable, but it’s a crucial emotion in helping us develop. How do we harness its powerful lessons?

Scientific American

Do Narcissists Ever Grow Up?

Some research investigates continuity and change in narcissism from young adulthood to midlife.

Apartment Therapy

The 6 Biggest Pet Peeves Home Stagers Have About Your Bathroom

If you’re planning to sell your house soon, don’t fall into these outdated bathroom traps.

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, August 6

SELF

The ‘Contrarian Friend’ Is Real—and They’re Driving Everyone Crazy

When disagreeing with you becomes someone’s entire personality.

The Walrus

Whiteouts, Ice Roads, and Wolverines: What Working at a Diamond Mine in the Far North Is Like

In minus forty, even a twisted ankle can turn deadly if no one knows where to find you.

Slate

My Scammer

I responded to one of those spam texts from a “recruiter”—then took the job. It got weirder than I could have imagined.

The Associated Press

The World Nearly Beat Polio. But Fake Records, an Imperfect Vaccine and Missteps Aided Its Comeback.

The World Health Organization has closed in on its bold goal of eradicating polio several times, but the paralytic virus is entrenched in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Quanta Magazine

At 17, Hannah Cairo Solved a Major Math Mystery

After finding the homeschooling life confining, the teen petitioned her way into a graduate class at Berkeley, where she ended up disproving a 40-year-old conjecture.

BBC

Mississippi Burning: The Shocking Murders That Sparked Change in the US

In August 1964, three civil rights activists were found dead in the Deep South. The public’s response provided the impetus for new civil rights legislation in America.

The Guardian

Frying Solo? 20 Pantry, Fridge and Freezer Essentials for Single Households

Olives, chickpeas and dukkah are a few of the basic ingredients writer and former caterer Elizabeth Quinn keeps on hand. Here she shares quick recipes for eating solo.

NPR

What’s the Deal With Electrolyte Drinks — Do You Need Them to Stay Hydrated?

A classic 20-ounce bottle of lemon-lime Gatorade contains nearly one-eighth teaspoons of salt and 80 milligrams of potassium — electrolytes “to help replace what you sweat out,” the product’s ads say.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

NBC News

Video Captures Moment Seattle Kraken Mascot Is Chased by Charging Bear

The NHL team’s mascot was confronted by a bear during a fishing expedition in Alaska, but luckily everyone skated away before anyone was attacked.

ESPN

WNBA Power Rankings: Lynx, Liberty Navigate Star Injuries With Reinforcements

Atlanta rides a three-game winning streak up the board while Minnesota and New York navigate without their stars.

CBS News

Billions of Starfish Have Died in a Decade-Long Epidemic. Scientists Say They Now Know Why.

A sea star wasting disease​ sparked a mass die-off from Mexico to Alaska, devastating more than 20 species and continuing today.

The Guardian

Burn Notice: Gen Z and the Terrifying Rise of Extreme Tanning

Nasal sprays, injections and sunbeds – for many people, the yearning for a tan now outweighs the risks. But why?

Popular Mechanics

Engineers Built a Tesla Wheel That Might Be Impossible to Break on the Road

The company that makes them certainly seems to think they live up to the hype.

Far Out Magazine

The One Songwriter Who Inspired Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan

There’s being a muse, and then there’s being a super muse as this one artist inspired the entire god-tier of the greatest musicians that have ever lived.

Money

New Cash App Feature Simplifies Splitting Payments — Even for Those Who Don’t Use the App

Cash App now lets groups split bills using Apple Pay or Google Pay — no app needed.

HuffPost

19 Cool Airport Features Most People Don’t Know About

Your layover might hold more than just a food court and a crowded gate — if you know where to look.

Time

Lights Are Brighter Than Ever. Is That Bad for Your Eyes?

If you’re sensitive to bright artificial lights, take these precautions to protect your vision.

CNN

VIDEO: Esports and Gaming Gains Momentum in the Middle East

This year, the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia offers a $70 million prize pot. With over 2,000 gamers competing, CNN’s Eleni Giokos explores the industry’s exponential growth across the region.

Fast Company

These Creatives Moved to Europe and Designed a Better Life and Career. Should You?

Thinking of leaving the United States for life abroad? You’re not alone. A record-setting 21% of Americans expressed a desire to emigrate in 2024. While politics might play a role in the uptick, an increasing number of creative professionals are also leaving for career reasons.

Martha Stewart

Decluttering Does More Than Tidy Your Home—It Also Keeps Pests Away

According to experts, clutter can attract household pests. Here’s how to declutter your kitchen, closets, basement, and more to keep your home cleaner (and critter-free).

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

ABC News

How Trillions in Government Debt Could Hit Your Wallet, According to Experts

A federal agency ratcheted up its estimate of debt tied to Trump’s spending law.

CBS News

RFK Jr. Halts $500 Million for MRNA Vaccine Research

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the federal government is calling off around $500 million worth of vaccine development projects that use mRNA technology.

HuffPost

This Magic Number Is the Highest Heel Height You Should Wear, According to Podiatrists

“Listen to your feet, because they’re trying to tell you something.”

NBC News

Tips to Help Manage Your Buy Now, Pay Later Loans

While such loans can help you make large purchases without paying interest or undergoing hard inquiries in your credit report, they can also easily be overused.

BBC

The Unusual Brains of Noise-Sensitive People

Though noise sensitivity is often dismissed by doctors, it can have long-term effects on our mental and physical health.

SELF

5 Injuries ER Doctors See All the Time—and How to Avoid Them

You might be surprised by the seemingly innocuous behaviors that cause them.

CNBC

Credit Card Debt Reaches $1.21 Trillion — in Line With Last Year’s All-Time High, NY Fed Finds

Credit card balances rose by $27 billion in the second quarter to $1.21 trillion, according to a new report by the New York Fed.

Allure

A New Form of Alopecia Is Affecting Menopausal Women

Experts are calling it an “emerging epidemic.”

NPR

Wildfire Smoke Is Like Smoking ‘Half a Pack a Day.’ Here’s How to Protect Yourself

As Canadian wildfires spread smoke across the U.S. the air pollution is dangerous to health. But there are ways to protect yourself. Here’s what to know.

NBC News

A Second Person Has Died and More Than 50 Are Sick From Legionnaires’ Cluster in Harlem

Adults who have been in the affected area since late July with flu-like symptoms, fever, cough, or difficulty breathing should seek immediate medical attention, health officials say.

Greater Good Magazine

How Does Retirement Affect Our Health and Happiness?

A review of research investigated how mental health and physical activity change in retirees around the world.

The Marginalian

How to Be a Happier Creature

Even as the merchants of silicon and code try to render us disembodied intellects caged behind screens, something in our animal body knows where we came from and where we belong.