Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Nautilus

When Gravity Breaks Down

Gravity has no quantum properties and it drives physicists crazy.

The Atlantic

How to Find Joy in Your Sisyphean Existence

Life is full of boring, futile, absurd tasks. You’ll be happier if you can laugh at it all.

BBC Future

The Polar Dinosaurs Revealing Ancient Secrets

There’s mounting evidence that some dinosaurs lived among snow and ice. How did they do it?

Bloomberg Businessweek

Meet Seven of America’s Top Personal Finance Influencers

They might come from unconventional backgrounds, but financial advice has never been hotter online.

The Guardian

Climb a Tree, and Wiggle Those Hips: Exercises to Boost Your Mood

From getting the most out of your daily stroll to scaling a tree in your local park, here are three ways to get moving and feel better.

The Guardian

11 Surprising Habits That Can Ruin Friendships

Think you always know what your friend is thinking? Forever making elaborate plans together? You might be doing your friendships more harm than you realize, say these experts.

WIRED

How to Make Meetings Shorter (for Real)

Time is money. Reclaim your precious minutes with these strategies for in-person and virtual meetings.

Stylist

‘Success Bombing’ Is the Awkward Friendship Issue That No One Talks About

Success bombing is a symptom of our increasingly narcissistic culture, and it’s having a negative impact on friendships.

The Atlantic

Why Are Gamers So Much Better Than Scientists at Catching Fraud?

A pair of cheating scandals—one in the “speedrunning” community of gamers, and one in medical research—call attention to an alarming contrast.

Fast Company

How to Answer Interview Questions to Make Hiring Managers Like You

After you interview for a position, you may obsess over whether you gave the interviewer the “right” answers to the questions. But rather than worrying about what you said, you might want to spend more time thinking about how you say it.

The Guardian

‘Sim Farms’, High Heels, Zombie Knives: What Scammers Buy With the Money They Steal

A haul of items seized by police reveals the scale and threat of payment fraud – a crime that can have significant emotional impact on victims.

Esquire

On Remembering to Be Grateful on the Darkest Days

Through the coronavirus and a loved one’s cancer scare, I’ve found immeasurable relief through writing in a gratitude journal.

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

Sunday, August 10

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.

Food52

Our 10 Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes of All Time

From crispy to chewy, we’ve collected the best of the best.

The Hollywood Reporter

Last Call for Late Night

After 70 years of tucking America into bed, it looks like the curtain is about to come down on the late night genre. What’s being lost is more than a TV tradition but a backdrop for some of America’s most memorable moments.

The Guardian

Knife Throwing and Cheeseburger Spinning: The Agony and Ecstasy of Being a Viral Trickshot Video Star

Think you could throw a basketball off a 540ft dam, into a hoop – while blindfolded? Meet the talented and ludicrously patient people putting hours into the internet’s most joyful (and pointless) clips.

Lifehacker

Are ‘Ultra-Processed’ Foods Really That Bad for You?

They’ve been linked to heart disease and other health conditions.

Atavist

The Talented Mr. Bruseaux

He made his name in Chicago investigating race riots, solving crimes, and exposing corruption. But America’s first Black private detective was hiding secrets of his own.

Saveur

That Chewy, Bouncy Texture You Love Has a Name

Whether in boba tea, cuttlefish, rice noodles, or cassava dough, the texture of QQ connects people across cultures and generations.

Condé Nast Traveler

16 Golden Rules That Business Travelers Swear By

People who constantly hit the road for work share what they wish they’d known from the jump.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

The Cut

The Food52 Executive Who Used the Company Credit Card for Everything

Shannon Muldoon stole hundreds of thousands of dollars for clothes and travel.

The Hustle

The Adults Still Obsessed With Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. Cheese is trying to modernize. Diehard fans of the restaurant chain say it’s lost its way.

Psyche

How to Alter the Passage of Time to Feel Fast or Slow

Knowing the psychology behind why moments drag or whizz by can give you a degree of control over your experience of time.

The Washington Post

This Dog Used to Sniff Out Cold Cases for Police. Now She’s Saving Bees.

Equipped with her own tailored bee suit and a hood to cover her floppy ears, Maple — a former police dog — has an important retirement task: helping save thousands of honeybee hives.

CNET

CNET Survey: 78% of US Shoppers Are Stressing Out Over Back-to-School Tech Purchases

Nearly half are worried about finding quality purchases at an affordable price -- adding another strain to school shopping this year.

NBC News

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Moves to Amp up the Pressure on Democrats Who Fled in Redistricting Standoff

More than 50 Texas Democratic legislators left the state to block a GOP effort to redraw congressional lines. Abbott said they won’t be able to wait out the redistricting push.

Los Angeles Times

The ‘Hamilton’ Musical Movie Is Coming to Theaters This September

Ten years after its Broadway debut, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical ‘Hamilton’ will appear in movie theaters across the country on Sept. 5.

Popular Science

Oldest Black Hole Ever Seen Is 300 Million Times Bigger Than Our Sun

Don’t let the ‘Little Red Dot’ fool you.

The Hollywood Reporter

Are Hollywood’s Style Ambassadors Holding up Their End on Red Carpets?

A Sept. 4 webinar co-hosted by Launchmetrics and The Hollywood Reporter will offer tips and insight to realize maximum impact in dressing placements.

Kiplinger

Do Baby Boomers Spend More on Travel? What You Can Learn From Each Generation

Baby Boomers lead in travel spending, but younger travelers may be getting better value. See how older travelers compare with younger ones — and what each generation can learn about smarter travel.

Inc. Magazine

Your Employees With Student Loans Are Struggling, and It’s About to Get Worse

Data shows more employees are falling behind on student loan payments, but companies can offer mutually beneficial solutions.

Kiplinger

Five Ways to Adapt Your Charitable Giving Strategy in a Changing World: An Expert Guide

Economic uncertainty, global events and increasing wealth are shaping the charitable landscape this year. Here are the philanthropic trends and some tips that could help affluent donors optimize their impact.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

SELF

5 Subtle Signs You Might Actually Be in a Codependent Relationship

And how to regain your independence without having to drift apart.

Men's Health

How Much Fiber You Need Is a Loaded Question With a Simple Answer

OH GOD, FIBER? You want to talk about fiber? The most booooooring nutrient apart from maybe potassium (maybe)? Well, all due credit to you, because most people want nothing to do with fiber.

NPR

Why Short Breaks to Move Around Are Crucial for Your Creative Process

When bestselling author Kelly Corrigan’s creativity runs low or her mood turns, she doesn’t power through. Here are her tips for connecting your body to your creative process and getting unstuck.

CNBC

What Private Assets in 401(K) Plans Mean for Investors: ‘You’re Only Asking for Trouble,’ One Advisor Says

Millions of investors may soon have access to private assets in their 401(k) or other workplace retirement plans. What to know about the risks and rewards.

SELF

5 Things Every ‘Conflict Avoidant’ Person Should Do Before Any Difficult Conversation

The word “conflict” usually brings to mind raised voices or awkward tension—outcomes most people would rather avoid.

SELF

9 Exercises for Knee Pain to Help You Move (and Feel) Better

Strengthen and stretch your way to happier joints.

The Cut

Unpacking the TikToker Who Fell in Love With Her Psychiatrist

In the latest really long story to hit TikTok, Kendra Hilty believes she was manipulated into developing feelings for her psychiatrist.

Psyche

Does Progress Seem Slower When You Constantly Check on It?

Research on how we perceive the rate of change shows how you can be strategic about goal tracking and boost your motivation.

Kiplinger

Are You Leaving Money on the Table? Four Strategies to Free up Stuck Investments

From forgotten 401(k)s to outdated asset allocations, stuck money can hurt your retirement. Here’s what to do about it.

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.

Allure

Inside the World of Professional Back-Scratching

“I just want to pay someone to tickle my back.”

CNBC

Education Department Launches Key College Financial Aid Form Sooner Than Expected

The Education Department said the rollout of the 2026-27 FAFSA will be on schedule this year, with beta testing already underway.