Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Homes & Gardens

When to Plant Vegetables – Our Month-by-Month Guide

Plan your vegetable planting for the year with this handy monthly calendar.

The Atlantic

How Much Leisure Time Do the Happiest People Have?

Too little, and people tend to get stressed. Too much, and people tend to feel idle.

Nautilus

What This Drawing Taught Me About Four-Dimensional Spacetime

Stuck in his research, a cosmologist finds a hint in an intricate drawing.

Ars Technica

Tales of an Aging Gamer: Why Don’t I Pick up a Controller as Often as I Used To?

We keep getting older, the games stay the same (and science backs that up).

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

Dostoyevsky, Just After His Death Sentence Was Repealed, on the Meaning of Life

“To be a human being among people and to remain one forever, no matter in what circumstances, not to grow despondent and not to lose heart—that’s what life is all about, that’s its task.”

Atlas Obscura

The World Is Studded With Artificial Mountains

They’re fake, but they can be spectacular (and hazardous).

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If you’re planning to sell your house soon, don’t fall into these outdated bathroom traps.

Inc.

Why ‘Early to Bed, Early to Rise’ Is a Myth (and Night Owls Can Finally Rejoice)

Waking up early isn’t the secret to success—focusing on your chronotype is what’s more important.

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.

Bon Appétit

Big-Flavor Broccoli

This is our hands-down favorite way to cook the whole plant.

The War Zone

When Secret Mystery Planes Landed At The Air Bases Where I Was Stationed

It may sound like fiction, but on rare occasions, ordinary air bases have extraordinary mystery visitors. It happened to me, twice.

Truly*Adventurous

She Was a Global Superstar—and a World-Class Spy

The untold story of Josephine Baker, espionage agent.

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

The Atlantic

How the Muppets Helped Me Grieve

After my father got sick, his collaborations with Jim Henson kept me afloat.

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.

The New Yorker

Treating Gaza’s Collective Trauma

In Gaza, where displaced children play games called “air strike” and act out death, the lack of mental-health resources has become another emergency.

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.

WIRED

From Cheating Exposés to Dating Background Checks, TikTok Detectives Are Thriving

Private investigator influencers are staking out suspected cheaters and vetting dates for their clients, posting the tea for their followers. But there’s a dark side to morality-based surveillance.

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.

Eater

The Best Housewarming Gifts (That You’ll Want for Yourself)

If a whole leg of ham is a little too much, there’s always a pickle crock.

Scientific American

What if Infinity Didn’t Exist?

Can “finitism” possibly describe the real world?

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Nautilus

Propaganda Doesn’t Have to Be a Dirty Word

Talking with philosopher Nathan Crick about using mass persuasion for good.

Fast Company

The Right (and Wrong) Ways to Appreciate Your Employees

Experts weigh in on how to properly recognize employees.

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.

Context

Feed the World But Feed It Well. Why Food Systems Must Be Reformed

Food systems are a critical lever for environmental sustainability and public health, making nutrition a smart economic strategy.

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.

Mental Floss

This Backcountry Mug Cake Will Sweeten up Your Next Camping Trip

With a few ingredients and minimal gear, you can enjoy a rich, portable backcountry cake on any camping trip.

Mental Floss

What Happens If You Don’t Check Out of a Hotel?

If you have the time, swinging by the front desk on your way out may save you a bit of money and make someone else’s day a whole lot smoother.

ABC News

How Laura Loomer’s Pressure Campaigns Are Reshaping the Trump Administration

Far-right activist Laura Loomer has helped oust over a dozen Trump administration officials who she’s accused of being disloyal to Trump.

Axios

ICE Arrests Decline Amid Backlash to June Immigration Raids

The drope followed protests over the waves of raids by masked immigration agents in June — particularly in Southern California.

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.

Variety

Lyrical Media Launches Indie Video Game Publisher Led by UTA, Take Two Vet Blake Rochkind

Alexander Black’s production company Lyrical Media has launched privately funded indie video game publisher Lyrical Games.

CNET

The Next Planet Parade Is Coming Soon: Here’s How to See Six Planets Line Up

Mark your calendar -- you can catch Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus in the sky at the same time.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

HuffPost

The ‘Expectation Effect’ Hack Might Be the Secret to Happiness

This one simple but powerful shift can have major benefits. But be mindful of going overboard.