Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Harvard Business Review

How to Beat Procrastination

If you only focus on the task, there’s always an easier one. But the pestering task often has the greater reward.

Mental Floss

14 Experiments Gone Wrong

From studies that would never pass ethical muster in the present day to disastrous product launches, here are some experiments that went horrifically wrong.

Afar

How the Eternal City Brought My Mom Back to Life

Before she lost her to cancer, an AFAR editor spent five days in Rome with her mom, learning how to live a fuller life.

CityLab

Cities Don’t Have Souls. Why Do We Battle For Them?

What do we mean when we say that the “soul of the city” is under threat? Often, it’s really about politics, nostalgia, and the fear of community change.

Shondaland

How to Make New Friends Whether You’re an Introvert or Extrovert

Two friendship coaches break down myths about personality types and let us in on how to take part in new social situations with deeper connections — and less anxiety.

Romper

How to Deal With the Overzealous Gift Giver

An etiquette expert explains how to manage your kids’ feelings, as well as the onslaught of stuff.

Apartment Therapy

45 One-Minute Cleaning Tasks You Should Do Right Away

Quick habits that will keep your home cleaner, forever.

Smithsonian Magazine

Could Weirdly Straight Bolts of Lightning Be a Sign of Dark Matter?

A group of scientists say the phenomenon could indicate dark matter speeding through our world at more than 300 miles a second.

Fast Company

How to Stop Wasting Your Life Watching TV and Do Something Worthwhile With Your Downtime

With a busy life, chances are you only have an hour or two of free time each night. Here’s how to make the most of it.

Inc.

The One Sentence That Will Make You a More Effective Speaker

This one simple trick will make all your speeches clear, concise, and compelling.

Epicurious

How to Make Vinaigrette, From Super Basic to Extra Fancy

Homemade salad dressing can be as simple as a two-ingredient blend or a seven-ingredient masterpiece.

MIT Press Reader

The Hidden Powers of Everyday Ritual

Psychological anthropologist Bradd Shore explores the subtle but powerful influence of rituals on shaping our lives.

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

Thursday, July 10

The Guardian

The Terrifying Truth About Why Tesla’s Cars Keep Crashing

Elon Musk is obsessive about the design of his supercars, right down to the disappearing door handles. But a series of shocking incidents – from drivers trapped in burning vehicles to dramatic stops on the highway – have led to questions about the safety of the brand. Why won’t Tesla give any answers?

The Guardian

Walkouts, Feuds and Broken Friendships: When Book Clubs Go Bad

While most book clubs go off without an issue, when they do turn sour the fallout can be significant. So why do some go wrong – and what can be done to prevent it?

The Walrus

How I Solved the Century-Old Mystery of a Miraculous Shipwreck Survivor

In a disaster worse than the Titanic, it was believed a young man swam over six kilometres to safety. It didn’t add up.

The Kitchn

The Famous Grilled Chicken I’ve Loved Since Childhood

Inhaling the scent of the rich, turmeric-laden marinade as it caramelizes atop the charring meat brings me right back to my middle school days, when the same smoky smell coming from the line of carts waiting just outside the school gate for hungry students would hit our noses as we impatiently waited down the final bell.

BBC

Beyond Words: The 200-Year-Old Hidden Languages of Dating

From Regency-era "fan flirting" to coded gifts, people have perfected the art of discreetly signalling their love over many centuries.

MIT Technology Review

Inside the Most Dangerous Asteroid Hunt Ever

As space rock 2024 YR4 became more likely to hit Earth than anything of its size had ever been before, scientists all over the world mobilized to protect the planet.

CNN

Trump’s Sudden Shift on Weapons for Ukraine Takes the War Back to Square One

For a fleeting moment, Ukraine’s conflict may have come full circle. In the past 48 hours, US President Donald Trump has perhaps said his most forcefully direct words yet on arming Ukraine. And in the same period, the Kremlin have given their blankest indication to this White House that they are not interested in a realistic, negotiated settlement to the war.

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

The World Bank Set Out to Transform Health Care for the Poor in Africa. It Drove Patients Deeper Into Poverty.

A surge in private equity funding for hospitals left a trail of crushing debts, patient detentions and broken promises.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Real Simple

8 Reasons Your Home Never Seems to Stay Organized, According to Pros

Sometimes, your organization goals and your reality are too very different things. Pros explain the most common reasons people can’t keep their homes tidy.

Time

What to Do About Your Red, Itchy Eyes

Besides trying to claw your inflamed eyes out.

Nautilus

How to Make the Bread That Fueled the Pyramids

And the beer that gave rise to civilizations, too.

HuffPost

The Future of Fashion Is Beautiful — and It’s Happening Under New York City

These budding designers are examining the role we all play in the politics of style.

The Verge

Thread Count: Ikea Is Stitching Together a Smarter Home

Over 20 new devices are on the way.

CNET

Experts Clear up This Summer’s Confusing Dehydration Myths

Do you still think coffee is dehydrating? Don’t fall for these other myths about hydration.

Food52

How to Fill Every Room With Flowers Without Spending a Fortune

Supermarket stems and recycled jars are all you need to bring joy to every room.

Gizmodo

An AI That Promises to “Solve All Diseases” Is About to Test Its First Human Drugs

A secretive, Google-backed lab is using artificial intelligence to invent new medicines for humanity’s worst illnesses. But can we trust drugs designed by a mind that isn’t human?

Polygon

Switch 2 Is a Massive Hit. So Where’s All the Conversation About It?

Nintendo’s hype strategy for its new console is a bit different

Harper's Bazaar

Can Running Gear Ever Be Cool?

One Mexico City-based brand is trying—with the help of Adidas—to make it so

Big Think

Why Memento Mori Is the Ultimate Life Hack

Confronting mortality can help clarify what truly matters beyond superficial achievements. Memento mori practices can lead to a fuller life.

The Atlantic

The ‘Russia Hoax,’ Revisited

CIA Director John Ratcliffe wants to rewrite history.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

The New York Times

Measles Cases Hit Record High, 25 Years After U.S. Eliminated the Disease

Experts worry that if vaccination rates do not improve, deadly outbreaks will become the new normal.

Harvard Business Review

How to Identify the Perfect Cofounder

One of the first and most important decisions entrepreneurs make is whether to go it alone or bring on cofounders.

Gizmodo

This Cough Syrup Ingredient Might Actually Slow Dementia

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

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 Atlantic

I Fought Plastic. Plastic Won

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

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.

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.

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.