Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

BBC Future

Why Some People Can’t Tell Left From Right

It can seem like an almost childish mistake, but a surprising number of adults confuse left from right and scientists are only just starting to understand why.

MIT Press Reader

10 Tips for Cultivating Creativity, From the Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT

The challenge is not how to “teach creativity” to children, but rather how to create a fertile environment in which their creativity will take root, grow, and flourish.

The Marginalian

Physicist Alan Lightman on Beginnings, Endings, and What Makes Life Worth Living

How our cosmic improbability confers dignity and meaning upon our shared existence.

Knowable Magazine

Spots, Stripes and More: Working Out the Logic of Animal Patterns

More than 70 years ago, mathematician Alan Turing proposed a mechanism that explained how patterns could emerge from bland uniformity.

Scientific American

Dazzled by Creativity: Why We Excuse Dishonest Acts

Con artists rarely inspire admiration. Frank Abagnale Jr., however, was hardly a typical con artist.

Vogue

I Asked Four Former Friends Why We Stopped Speaking. Here’s What I Learned

Finding that, at 28, she didn’t have the close tribe of confidants that other people did, one writer decided to investigate why—by reaching out to four of her ex-best friends.

The Hustle

The Secretary Who Helped Uncover One of America’s Strangest Ponzi Schemes

The whole thing started because Robin H. Swanson wanted to send flowers.

The Guardian

‘What Are Our Lives for?’: A Philosopher Answers Kids’ Existential Questions

What happens when Plato mixes with playtime? Philosopher Scott Hershovitz answers the questions that confound children and adults alike.

Narratively

A Super Strange True Love Story: My Disappearing Fiancé

After years of avoiding love, I found a match that seemed almost too perfect. We were practically walking down the aisle before I realized it really was too good to be true.

Fast Company

Every Interview Question is Really This Question

Behind every interview question, there are three things that the interviewer is trying to figure out.

Greater Good Magazine

How to Stay Open and Curious in Hard Conversations

Here are eight tips for having better conversations across our differences.

The Conversation

Pollen Season Is Getting Longer and More Intense—Here’s What Allergy Sufferers Can Expect in the Future

Rising temperatures mean longer, earlier pollen seasons, but the bigger problem is what carbon dioxide will do to the amount of pollen being released. A 200% increase is possible this century.

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, August 4

Scientific American

The Hidden Way Allergens Attack Nose, Throat and Lung Cells

The immune system senses damage to cell membranes caused by pore-forming proteins and mounts a response.

Rolling Stone

Inside the Battle Over ‘Napalm Girl’

A new documentary, ‘The Stringer,’ investigates the story of the famous Vietnam War photo “Napalm Girl,” raising questions about who actually took it.

POLITICO Magazine

Meet the Fraudster Who Wants to Make California Its Own Country

The man behind the Calexit movement claims to be a baller. But he’s broke.

The Conversation

Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? A Pharmacist Explains Why You Might Not Be − and How to Know for Sure

As many as 1 in 5 Americans believe they have a penicillin allergy, but just a tiny fraction actually do. In recent years, it’s gotten a lot easier to find out.

Glamour

Would You Let Your Friend Pitch You to a Room Full of Single Strangers?

In 2025 we’re turning back to one of the oldest forms of dating: meeting a romantic partner through friends.

PBS

In the Gray World of GLP-1 Supplements Online, Health Experts Urge Caution

TikTok beauty influencer Kaycee Ogle is regularly contacted by brands who want her to promote their products. But one email she received in June was different, and made her curious.

The Guardian

Sweat, Stingers and Scratching: 14 Expert, Easy Ways to Treat and Prevent Insect Bites

Some of us seem to be bitten much more than others – and in unlucky cases this can lead to an allergic reaction or chronic illness. Pharmacists explain how to avoid the worst insects have to offer.

Popular Science

How the Tomato Created the Potato

The starchy staple evolved from the tomato about 9 million years ago.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Condé Nast Traveler

Renting a Camper Van for a Family Road Trip of Stargazing, Cook Outs, and Red Rock Hikes

A Philadelphia family of four (plus one on the way) drive a cabin camper through Colorado and Utah—balancing ranger talks with waterpark hotel detours and quesadillas over an open fire.

The Guardian

Unmasked: The Man Behind One of the Fastest Growing Far-Right YouTube Channels

Chris Booth’s channel – rife with neo-Nazi ideology, antisemitism and racism – garnered 2.3m views and likely thousands of dollars from YouTube in about two months.

NPR

3 Big Takeaways From the NTSB Hearing on the DCA Midair Collision

A three-day National Transportation Safety Board hearing on the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in decades dug into problems with altimeters, chopper routes and the busy Washington, D.C., airspace.

The Guardian

The 10 Best Classic Seaside Arcade Machines

A trip to the seaside isn’t complete without a jangling cup of coins or an overconfident uncle nursing a sore hand. Here’s a rundown of the top nostalgia-inducing games.

The Atlantic

The Secret of George Washington’s Revolutionary Success

The American Revolution was won by dramatic deeds, but also by decidedly undramatic efforts.

Martha Stewart

How to Remove Berry Stains From Clothes and Table Linens

Berry stains can be tough, but not impossible, to remove.

Discover

Male Leopard Seals Sing Underwater Nursery Rhymes for up to 13 Hours a Day

Learn about the curious singing habits of leopard seals, whose songs bear a striking resemblance to human nursery rhymes.

Business Insider

Would You Pay $2,500 a Year to Scan Your Entire Body for Hidden Diseases?

Full-body MRIs are becoming a status symbol among longevity enthusiasts. Do they help or are they just flashy procedures that lead to extra tests?

Gizmodo

Great Tits Sometimes Break up, Bird Researchers Find

New research finds that “tit divorce” is less arbitrary than biologists thought, revealing a complex social side to these common European songbirds.

The New York Times

How the New Texas Map Changes the Outlook for Control of the House

Democrats’ chances would be hurt if the map were approved, but they would still be favored.

NBC News

China’s Swimming Prodigy Draws Global Praise and a Note of Caution

Yu Zidi, 12, became the youngest-ever medalist during her debut at the World Aquatics Championships. But she may face a toxic sports fandom at home after her rise to fame.

Real Simple

3 Ways to Revive Your Hardwood Floors So They Look Like New Again

Hardwood floors are durable but can become dull due to scratches, improper cleaning, and heavy foot traffic. Learn three easy ways to revive your hardwood floors.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

NPR

If Compliments Make You Feel Super Awkward, This Comic Is for You

When someone says something nice about us, it can make us feel awkward and uncomfortable. Researchers explain the science behind those emotions — and make the case for accepting genuine praise.

Teen Vogue

Supplement History: The Truth About Supplements and Vitamins That Teens Should Know

If you take a supplement, you should read this.

HuffPost

This Mosquito-Borne Illness Is Being Reported in Multiple States — Here’s What to Know

Now’s the time to replenish your bug spray supply.

CNBC

Senate Bill Aims to Increase Affordable Housing Supply. Here’s What Renters, Home Buyers Need to Know

A Senate committee advanced a bipartisan bill that would spur the construction of affordable housing. Here’s what to know about it.

The Associated Press

What to Know If You’re at Risk of Having Your Wages Garnished Over Student Loan Debt

Millions of student borrowers could begin having their wages garnished as soon as this summer. That’s according to estimates from credit bureau TransUnion.

CNBC

Federal Student Loans Will Still Be a ‘Better Bet’ Than Private—Even With Coming Changes, Experts Say

Some of the most generous benefits of federal student loans are going away in the coming years. Here's why experts still recommend them over private loans.

Lifehacker

Six Common Tactics Contractors Use to Upsell You

Contractors know you’ve got money to spend on your home project. Here are the tricks they use to upsell you and get you to spend more than you intended.

Lifehacker

These Six ‘Misunderstandings’ Can Seriously Impact Your Hospital Bill

When we’re in the hospital, our lives are literally in the hands of the doctors, nurses, and other staff. But hospitals can be sketchy about what they tell you—with expensive consequences.

Money

How to Prioritize Your Bills in a Financial Crunch

Which obligations need your immediate attention and which can wait.

The Atlantic

Three Ways to Stop Feeling Like an Impostor

This common syndrome can certainly harm your happiness. Here are three ways to get over it.

CBS News

What Will Happen to Gold Prices This August?

Gold prices have largely risen over the past 18 months, approximately, but will they continue to do so this August?

SELF

5 Reasons You Get Random Bruises—and When to See a Doctor

Here’s how to tell if something nefarious might be behind them.