Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

BBC Future

How Our Eyes Can Change Color Throughout Our Lives

Through apparently spontaneous change or through mishap or illness, our eyes can change color in surprising ways.

MEL Magazine

The Lone Prospectors Keeping the Legacy of the Gold Rush Alive

Over 50,000 people tune in to watch Dan Hurd pan for gold on YouTube. But when the teacher sets out into the hills to investigate a claim, he’s seeking anything but attention.

MIT Press Reader

Psychogeography: A Purposeful Drift Through the City

If geographers “carve,” “draw,” or “write” the earth, psychogeographers add a zest of soul to the mix, linking earth, mind and foot.

Narratively

The Portly Victorian Undertaker Who Launched the World’s First Low-Carb Craze

William Banting tried every 19th century weight-loss fad. Polite society was shocked when he unveiled the method that finally worked.

Scientific American

How Does a Caterpillar Turn into a Butterfly?

To become a butterfly, a caterpillar first digests itself. But certain groups of cells survive, turning the soup into eyes, wings, antennae and other adult structures.

Knowable Magazine

Do Birds Have Language? It Depends on How You Define It.

In the cheeps, trills and tweets of birdsong, scientists find some parallels with human speech.

Greater Good Magazine

How to Overcome a Stubborn Regret

Regret can increase stress and negatively affect your physical health.

Popular Science

Snake Hunt

Stalking pythons in Florida with a team of cold-blooded killers.

Literary Hub

25 Classic Crime Books You Can Read in an Afternoon

Terse, atmospheric brilliance in under 200 pages.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

When Your Parents Are Dying: The Simplest, Most Difficult and Redemptive Life-Advice You’ll Ever Receive

“Death makes human beings seem like very small containers that are packed so densely we can only be aware of a fraction of what’s inside us from moment to moment.”

Quanta Magazine

The Math Behind Gerrymandering and Wasted Votes

Simple math can help scheming politicians manipulate district maps and cruise to victory. But it can also help identify and fix the problem.

The Atlantic

The Real Roots of Midlife Crisis

What a growing body of research reveals about the biology of human happiness—and how to navigate the (temporary) slump in middle age.

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

Saturday, July 5

Bon Appétit

An Inside Look at the Best Snack Trends at the Summer Fancy Food Show

At the Comic Con of snacks, we track down the latest in sweet treats, sauces, and drinks.

Smithsonian Magazine

In a Milestone for Manhattan, a Pair of Coyotes Has Made Central Park Their Home

For six years, two photographers have carefully followed the canines and documented their secret lives.

The Atlantic

The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness

A new book considers how weight lifting can help you unlearn diet culture.

KCRW

Want Better Bakes? Here’s What Your Ingredients Actually Do

Pastry chef Nicola Lamb sifts through the essential ingredients of baking — flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.

CNN

A Couple Tried for 18 Years to Get Pregnant. AI Made It Happen.

As artificial intelligence shapes fertility care, it’s now helping doctors find hidden sperm.

The New York Times

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.

As he turns 85, one of the last surviving Beatles is still musically curious, dispensing his signature wisdom, and preaching the gospel of peace and love.

New York Magazine

'People Want That African Euphoria'

Black Americans are moving to Ghana — and driving up the cost of living for everyone around them.

CNN

Here’s Who Stands to Gain From the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’ And Who May Struggle

President Donald Trump has promised that the “big, beautiful bill” passed by Congress will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation in American history.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

PS

Emma Roberts Has “No Shame” About Not Washing Her Hair on Vacation

Emma Roberts discusses her travel beauty routine, her dream “White Lotus” character, and her Belletrist book club partnership with Apple Vacations.

Far Out Magazine

Graham Nash on a Brave Bruce Springsteen, a Problematic Donald Trump, and How Nina Simone Still Inspires Him: “Things Are Pretty Chaotic”

Graham Nash has been making music for six decades and his songs have never seemed more relevant than today. We speak to him about them here.

downeast.com

Exuberant Plantings Elevate a Rolling Brunswick Plot

“Gardening has brought joy to my life, and I’m always eager to spread it.”

The 19th

Black Women’s Unemployment Is Rising. Economists Say It’s a Warning Sign.

Unemployment rates over the past year have remained largely steady for every group of workers but one: Black women, whose unemployment rates have been rising.

Business Insider

Europe’s Drone Push Exposes Gaps in Defense Readiness

Europe is racing to mass-produce drones as experts warn of lagging urgency, rising threats, and the need for a radical shift in defence strategy.

SB Nation

4 NBA Free Agency Winners and 3 Losers After Wave of 2025 Player Movement

Let’s hand out the biggest winners and losers in free agency.

PS

The Curious Case of PDA at Amusement Parks

Yep, it’s a real thing: here’s why people love engaging in PDA at amusement parks, according to a relationship expert.

Discover

Could Yellowstone National Park Visitors See New Thermal Feature Again This Summer?

Learn more about the new hydrothermal feature that appeared last summer in Yellowstone National Park, and how, even though it went dormant over the winter, it could appear again this summer.

WIRED

Business Class Ain’t What It Used to Be. Don’t Tell First Class

Once a slightly fancy middle ground between first class and coach, business-class seats are getting serious upgrades. Caviar, anyone?

Texas Monthly

Vintage Fabrics Give These Handbags Their Sentimental Style

A Gainesville artist and collector uses mid-century materials to make chic, nostalgic accessories.

Essence

How Rap Icons Gave Americana Style a Whole New Attitude

Some of the most impactful truth-tellers of our time flipped their red, white and blue to demonstrate the subversive power of Black culture.

Business Insider

NATO’s Big $1.4 Trillion Bet Is Seeing Long-Ignored Air Defenses Coming Back in a Big Way

NATO members have pledged to bring defense spending to 5% of GDP, with NATO’s chief saying that will be used for a fivefold increase in air defenses.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

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.

Men's Health

How Long It Should Take to Walk a Mile—and How That Can Help to Improve Your Fitness

Whether you're looking to move more or you want to upgrade your daily stroll, these tips will help you pick up the pace.

Lifehacker

Five Psychological Tricks You Can Use to Make Yourself Feel Happier

It’s easy to see why being happy is such a challenge these days. People are working jobs they hate, struggling to pay bills, and living in an increasingly isolated, digitally driven world.

Fast Company

Why Office Gossip Can Be Good for the Workplace (If It’s the Right Kind of Gossip)

Gossip at work is inevitable. But what exactly workers gossip about can be key in dictating company culture. Rumor has it that gossip can be a positive force in workplace cultures, under the right circumstances.

The Conversation

Self Determination Theory: How to Use It to Boost Wellbeing

A foundational idea in self-determination theory is that we have three basic psychological needs: for autonomy, competence and relatedness.

The New York Times

Illness Took My Mother’s Independence, but It Gave Us Something Precious

An immune condition changed my mom’s life — and taught us to see art differently.

The Guardian

How Sorry Are You? Why Learning to Apologize Well Could Save Your Relationships

Got something to say sorry for? Here are words that have no place in your apologies, according to those who have spent years analysing them.

Fast Company

How to Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation

Plan to connect with loved ones and plan to disconnect from work.

The New York Times

Better Half

The midpoint of the year is an opportune moment to look back at where we’ve been, and set our sights for where we want to go.

The New York Times

Gen Z, It Turns Out, Is Great at Saving for Retirement

Brynnley Beckman is only 23, but she is already thinking about retirement. She teaches ninth grade biology at the Shelton School in Dallas and contributes 3 percent of her salary to an employer-sponsored retirement fund. She hopes to increase her contribution by 1 percent each year.

Time

Are You Just Tired or Truly Burned Out?

Fatigue and burnout are similar, but one requires more serious attention.

CNBC

Here’s the Average 401(K) Balance by Age

When it comes to our retirement nest egg, we can't help but wonder where we stand compared to our cohorts.