Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Romper

The Absolute Unhinged Joy Of A Cabbage Patch Kid Name

Everyone remembers their Cabbage Patch Kid’s name, but why?

Bloomberg Businessweek

The Future of Junk Food Could Be Healthy Food

The boldest move a struggling packaged food company could make right now is taking the leap from preservatives to the farm.

Smithsonian Magazine

Why an Alabama Town Has a Monument Honoring the Destructive Boll Weevil

The pest decimated the South’s cotton industry, but the city of Enterprise found prosperity instead.

Greater Good Magazine

Four Ways to Stop Imagining the Worst Will Happen

If you have a tendency to worry about worst-case scenarios, it’s possible to get your brain on a different track.

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings)

Rachel Carson’s Bittersweet Farewell to the World

Timeless advice to the next generations from the woman who catalyzed the environmental movement.

Esquire

Why Are Debut Novels Failing to Launch?

For first-time writers, it’s harder than ever to break out. That poses an existential crisis for publishing—and disturbing limits on your access to exciting new voices.

Outside

How Your Diet Affects Your Mental Health

What you eat changes how you feel. These foods are the best for your brain.

Fast Company

Five Phrases That Make People Discount What You're Saying

These common expressions can cause listeners to think twice.

Atlas Obscura

How Newport, Kentucky, Lost the Title of ‘Sin City’

Before there was Vegas, there was another American hot spot for bad behavior.

Ars Technica

Speed Matters: How Ethernet Went From 3Mbps to 100Gbps…And Beyond

One of the biggest computing inventions of all time, courtesy of Xerox PARC.

Prevention

100 Best Questions to Ask to Get to Know Someone Better, According to Experts

Go deeper—and really listen—thanks to these questions to ask your friend or partner.

Elle

Is Screen Time Really the Worst Thing For Kids?

Recommendations from a Danish media expert: Funny shows are good, and crap shows are bad (except when they’re good).

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, July 9

The Atlantic

I Fought Plastic. Plastic Won

My futile quest to avoid the material that my entire world is made out of.

Rest of World

Out of Space: Picturing the Big, Crowded Business of Satellite Internet

The idea of a space-based internet is almost as old as the internet itself. In 1993, the Hughes Aircraft Company filed for a license with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to develop Spaceway, a high-speed global satellite internet service — the first of its kind.

Columbia Journalism Review

Grains of Salt

A memoir of restoration became a bestseller and a movie. Its truth is now in doubt.

Atavist

Conversations with a Hit Man

A former FBI agent traveled to Louisiana to ask a hired killer about a murder that haunted him. Then they started talking about a different case altogether.

The Guardian

You Love the Outdoors. So Why Are You Pooping All Over It?

Millions of Americans a year visit national parks and many leave their business anywhere. Contrary to popular belief, that deluge of poop is not going to decompose.

Scientific American

The Benefits of Raising Conscientious Kids

Being conscientious will serve kids in the long run. Here are some tips to help them learn that trait.

Vogue

Why I Finally Fell Out Of Love With Attachment Theory

There was a time, in my mid-twenties, when I became completely obsessed with why I was the way I was. I’d just been through a major break-up, and what followed was a period of intense and intentional soul-searching.

Eating Well

9 Best Foods to Help You Stay Hydrated, Recommended by Dietitians

Many fruits and veggies provide fluids and electrolytes to aid in hydration. Dietitians share their recommendations for the best foods for hydration.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Context

Philippines Struggles to Green Schools Amid Climate Risks

The Philippines struggles to tackle education gaps as climate risks, such as heatwaves and storms, rise.

The 19th

In 2025, Why Are Men Still Afraid to Come Out in Professional Sports?

There are zero openly gay and bi men actively competing in America’s top pro sports leagues. What’s keeping the closet door shut?

Parents

10 Reasons Kids Misbehave and How to Support Them

Kids don’t always have the words to express what they’re feeling, so they use their behavior instead. Here are 10 common reasons children misbehave, plus practical tips to help parents respond with empathy, structure, and support.

Darius Foroux

10 Things I Learned From a Decade of Doing 1 Thing

On July 7, 2015, I hit “publish” on a simple and short post about the power of saying no. Ten years, hundreds of articles, ten books, and millions of readers later, that single decision has paid the kind of compound interest no spreadsheet can capture.

Texas Monthly

The Beauty and the Danger of the Guadalupe River

Generations of Texans gather at the river’s stunning headwaters, which have been carved by cycles of catastrophic floods.

MakeUseOf

Gaming on a Smart TV Is So Much Better With These Settings Tweaks

Your smart TV has a heap of features that make gaming much better—you just need to know where to look.

MIT Technology Review

How Scientists Are Trying to Use AI to Unlock the Human Mind

Understanding the mind is hard. Understanding AI isn’t much easier.

NBC News

As U.S. Abruptly Ends Support, Liberia Faces Empty Health Clinics and Unplanned Pregnancies

USAID built schools and health clinics but most of the U.S. funding went to Liberia’s health system, making up 48% of its budget.

NBC News

Gangs in Haiti Burn Beloved Gothic Gingerbread Hotel That Rose to International Fame

Even though gang violence had forced the hotel in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, to close in recent years, many had hoped it would reopen.

Gizmodo

This Cough Syrup Ingredient Might Actually Slow Dementia

Several larger trials of ambroxol for Parkinson's are already underway.

Popular Mechanics

Archaeologists Discovered an Unprecedented Ancient Monument That Could Rewrite History

It’s practically impossible.

Polygon

The Rainbow Road Master Is Back With a New Record in Mario Kart World

A Twitch streamer known for his speed on the colorful track over the years shows why fans call him the Rainbow Road master.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

‘Revenge Savings’ Can Boost Your Bottom Line, Experts Say — Here’s How to Get Started

Saving more money is a perennial resolution, but emotions shouldn't drive that habit, financial experts say. Instead, be intentional. Here's how to get started.

The Washington Post

I’m a Gastroenterologist. Here’s Why I Tell My Patients to Eat This One Fruit.

Kiwis can boost your gut health. They may also lower triglycerides and cancer risk.

Harvard Business Review

When It’s Time to Leave a Career You’re Passionate About

People worry that others will see them as immoral and incompetent for quitting their passion. These fears are often misplaced.

CNBC

Recruiter: I’ve Placed Over 1,000 People Into Jobs–Here’s the No. 1 ‘Closing Technique’ to Nail Your Interview

In this environment where it’s difficult to get your foot in the door, one mistake that some recent graduates make is assuming that their degree will automatically get them a job.

NPR

4 Things to Know About the Vaccine Ingredient Thimerosal

The federal government could soon recommend that people only receive flu shots made without an ingredient called thimerosal.

The New York Times

How Many Dates Should You Go on Before You Start Talking About Money?

Couples tend to dance around discussing how much they earn or owe early in a relationship. But experts agree that talking about money sooner is better than later.

HuffPost

I Paid Off a School’s Lunch Debt. Then Strangers on the Internet Did Something Truly Stunning.

This is proof that strangers can decide, together, to make things better.

Fast Company

How to Trick Your Nervous System Into Calming Down When You’re Stressed at Work

Understanding how your body works can be the key to reducing stress. For example, you’re probably aware of your fight-or-flight response—the body’s way of preparing itself when it believes it’s being threatened.

NPR

‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Purchases Can Now Affect Your Credit Score. Here’s What That Means

Services that split up payments into installments are increasingly popular, especially among young and low-to-middle income shoppers. But now the FICO credit scoring company will be tracking that debt.

The Guardian

Natural Fibers and No Heathered Grey: What to Wear When It’s Really, Really Hot Out

The biggest concerns are a) maximizing comfort and b) masking sweat so one doesn’t look like a sentient pile of wet laundry.

DW

Paris Reopens Seine River for Public Swimming

Parisians have begun bathing in the Seine for the first time in over 100 years after a ban was lifted. The French capital has created three swimming zones along the river as part of its Olympic legacy.

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.