Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Atlas Obscura

The Brief, Baffling Life of an Accidental New York Neighborhood

Welcome to Haberman, Queens: Population 0.

Nautilus

How to Understand Extreme Numbers

Some numbers are so large they are difficult to grasp, yet still necessary.

The Guardian

How to Spot a Liar: 10 Essential Tells – From Random Laughter to Copycat Gestures

An ex-FBI agent, a psychologist and a fraud investigator share their best tips for detecting dishonesty.

Quanta Magazine

Machine Learning Confronts the Elephant in the Room

A visual prank exposes an Achilles’ heel of computer vision systems: Unlike humans, they can’t do a double take.

Bon Appétit

Peach and Prosciutto Sandwich

A sandwich that’s sure to be your next picnic MVP.

Fatherly

How To Give Constructive Criticism That’s Actually Constructive

Go easy on the compliment sandwich, and other tips to help you become a go-to advice giver.

Aeon

My Mom

I love her and it’s a secret. I love her so much it kills me, and you bet I’d sooner die than tell her.

Esquire

How to Wear Cologne

They’re not rules; they're guidelines. And they’ll help you find the right spritz for you.

CityLab

The Rise and Fall of the Klaxon, the World’s Most Annoying Car Horn

Klaxon automotive horns, once standard safety equipment, disappeared from the roads after World War I. But the tensions they exposed about urban noise still echo.

MIT Press Reader

Alphonse Bertillon and the Troubling Pursuit of Human Metrics

To measure was to apprehend and be made accountable, and nowhere was this more resonant than in the identification and classification of criminals.

Fast Company

Want to Cut Your Work Hours in Half? Create an A/B Schedule

"You can get more done with more power to spare."

Greater Good Magazine

How to Become a Scientist of Your Own Emotions

A Q&A with researcher Marc Brackett about how to cultivate emotional intelligence in ourselves and our kids.

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 28

Vanity Fair

How Goop Culture Helped Create MAHA

The California-based gynecologist and Gwyneth biography source, Dr. Jen Gunter, on everything from how she views Gwyneth Paltrow’s legacy to the most difficult aspects of fighting pseudoscience claims.

The Guardian

How Video Games Are Keeping Romance Alive – One Level at a Time

Some are using Final Fantasy and GTA Online as dating sites and long-time lovers are finding comfort and connection through Resident Evil. Could video games be the ultimate relationship tool?

The Guardian

The Rise and Fall of the British Cult That Hid in Plain Sight

Philippa Barnes was a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an adult, she helped expose the shocking scale of abuse it had perpetrated.

Esquire

What I Didn’t Understand About My Autistic Son, and What I’m Learning Now That He’s an Adult

I have opened my heart and my mind to Sam, and he’s brought both of us to the place we so desperately need to be.

SELF

3 Simple Steps to Keep Your Bananas From Rotting Way Too Soon

Expert-approved strategies for extending the life of this potassium-packed—but short-lived—fruit.

The Associated Press

Photos Show a Filipino Couple Walking Down a Flooded Aisle on Their Wedding Day

Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day.

NBC News

The Deadliest Extreme Weather Event Is Not What You Think It Is

Nationally, extreme heat causes more deaths each year than any other weather event, including floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.

Vox

Why Your Energy Bill Is Suddenly So Much More Expensive

And why it’s not getting cheaper any time soon.

Science Is Winning the Tour De France

Why today’s competitors far surpass the cheating champions of yesteryear.

Real Simple

Hummus Vs. Guacamole: Which Dip Packs More of the Good Fats?

Hummus and guacamole are both healthy dips, but is one healthier than the other? Registered dietitians compare the dips and decide which one is more nutritious.

Vogue

From the Archives: Vogue Revisits Jackie Kennedy’s Literary Legacy As Doubleday Book Editor

What if Jackie O had taken you under her wing? When Darcey Steinke was an aspiring young writer, the American icon became her editor at Doubleday.

Popular Mechanics

Scientists Are Warning of a Brand-New Kind of Acid Rain

Getting rid of the “forever chemical” Trifluoroacetic acid, or TFA, found in everything from drinking water to human blood, may be an impossible task.

CBS News

U.S. Postal Service to Celebrate 250th Anniversary Amid Trump Threats to Privatize

The USPS is celebrating with two new commemorative stamps and a celebration at the Smithsonian on July 26.

Business Insider

Trump Wants to Ban ‘Woke AI.’ Here’s Why It’s Hard to Make a Truly Neutral Chatbot.

Trump’s order to ban “woke AI” calls for model neutrality — but that’s a big challenge for AI companies.

NPR

Home Sales Are Down. So Why Are Prices at an All-Time High?

Those with equity in a home can trade up more easily, while many first-time homebuyers are still stuck on the sidelines.

The New York Times

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Breaks a Box Office Curse

The movie, the fifth effort to adapt the comic characters for the big screen, was expected to collect about $220 million worldwide in its first weekend.

Popular Science

How to Manage All Your Subscriptions in Gmail

Make your inbox less overwhelming.

Nature

Controversial ‘Arsenic Life’ Paper Retracted After 15 Years — but Authors Fight Back

The journal Science retracts a headline-grabbing study, but the authors vigorously defend their data and say the retraction is unwarranted.

Harvard Business Review

The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation

Before commercial pilots push back from the gate, they complete a comprehensive preflight check to verify that every system functions correctly during the journey ahead.