Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Men’s Health

The New Science of Hip Mobility

Own the weight room, crush backyard football, and beat back pain by strengthening and stretching your hips.

Nautilus

The Day Feynman Worked Out Black-Hole Radiation on My Blackboard

“After a few minutes, Richard Feynman had worked out the process of spontaneous emission, which is what Stephen Hawking became famous for a year later.”

GQ

You’re Probably Not Getting Enough Fiber: Add These 5 High-Fiber Foods to Your Plate

The least sexy macronutrient finally gets its time to shine—here’s everything to know about consuming fiber.

Literary Hub

6 Famous Writers Injured While Writing

When making stuff is hazardous to your health.

Scientific American

The Language You Speak Influences Where Your Attention Goes

It’s all because of the similarities between words.

Mental Floss

When George Washington Kept a Smallpox Epidemic From Costing Him the American Revolution

Smallpox vaccination was banned in America during the Revolutionary War, but George Washington was determined to protect his army no matter what.

Women’s Health

Are Beige Flags A Real Thing? The Social Media Term, Explained

Consider it the yellow traffic light of dating.

Esquire

What Is American Style?

From old-school preppy staples to forward-thinking fashion, getting dressed in the U.S.A. has always been about celebrating the everyday person.

The Guardian

Meet the Neuroscientist Who Believes Life Could Be Eternal

A brilliant young scientist believes that if we preserve our brains, they could be revived in the future, helping us live for centuries.

Narratively

My Teenage Life After Leaving a Cult

I spent my childhood waiting for the apocalypse. When it never came, I grasped at anything I could to feel in control.

Delish

Welcome To The United States Of Hydration

We’re drinking more water than ever, but how much do we really need?

Vogue

The Best Time to Eat Dinner, According to the Experts

Is it better to stick to a strict meal schedule or eat when you’re hungry? Health experts share advice.

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, July 20

NPR

4 Confidence-Boosting Ways to Overcome the Fear of Flirting in Real Life

Does talking to a cute stranger make your palms sweat? Confidence coach Regina Bonds offers advice on to how to put yourself out there, including how to show interest without coming off as creepy.

New York Magazine

Inside the Media’s Traffic Apocalypse

The whole premise of internet publishing is starting to crumble.

Virginia Quarterly Review

Dark Ride to the Source

Holding on to Joy at Disneyland.

Grub Street

Is All This Salt Killing Us?

Doctors have long warned about the risks of too much sodium. But in an era of Maximum Flavor, we crave it more than ever.

The Week

Why Your Body Ages Rapidly in Two ‘Bursts’

Scientists have found that ageing increases in our mid-40s and 60s.

The 19th

She Helped Get Rid of Measles in Her County. This Is Her Advice on Stopping Its Spread.

Lubbock County in Texas has been free of measles cases for more than 50 days. But Katherine Wells, director of the Lubbock Health Department, is staying vigilant.

Los Angeles Times

AI Can Write a Scene. It Can Pitch a Movie. So What Happens to the Screenwriters?

As generative AI reshapes Hollywood, screenwriters like Billy Ray, Paul Schrader, Bong Joon Ho and Todd Haynes, along with a new class of tech disruptors, are navigating the uncertain future of storytelling.

Vanity Fair

What I Witnessed Inside an ICE Women’s Prison

Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk opens up about her 45 days in a South Louisiana processing facility—and the generous and compassionate women she met.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

The New Republic

This Might Be the Climate Wake-up Call We’ve Been Waiting For

It can be challenging to connect climate change to people’s everyday lives. But there’s nothing abstract about heat waves and vanishing beaches.

Discover

Does Your Dog Watch TV? Here’s What Screens Can Say About Their Personality

Understanding how dogs react to screens could help us train them better and expand their entertainment options.

Quanta Magazine

How Distillation Makes AI Models Smaller and Cheaper

Fundamental technique lets researchers use a big, expensive “teacher” model to train a “student” model for less.

Martha Stewart

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard—and Keep Them From Coming Indoors

Learn how to effectively get rid of fleas in your yard with these safe, expert-recommended methods—and stop them from invading your home.

Inverse

How CM Punk Found a New Fight in Revival

CM Punk chats with Inverse about his role in ‘Revival’ and his next moves outside of the WWE.

Vogue

Psst: It’s Actually Fine to Have a Little Work Crush

“Not only are they generally not a threat to your relationship,” writes Olivia Petter, “but in the right circumstances, they can even be a little healthy.”

Condé Nast Traveler

How I Travel: Taylor Jenkins Reid Uses Road Trips to Combat Writer’s Block

We peek into the airport routines and bizarre quirks of the world’s most well-traveled people.

BBC

How Women’s Cricket Has Developed in India

Former India captain Mithali Raj tells BBC Sport how a run to the World Cup final in 2017 and the launch of the Women’s Premier League has seen women’s cricket rise in the country.

Kiplinger

These Summer 2025 Back-to-School Tax-Free Weekends Are Starting Now

Over a dozen states offer back-to-school shoppers a sales tax holiday this summer.

Smithsonian Magazine

Edvard Munch Was Haunted by Physical and Mental Illnesses—but He Was Also Fascinated by Them

Known as the painter of “The Scream,” the Norwegian artist and his loved ones spent many years suffering from health conditions. A new exhibition explores how the world of medicine influenced his art.

Business Insider

How AI Is Helping Healthcare Startups Multiply Their Patients and Chase Profits

Healthcare startups are betting that AI can help them do more with less — including in caring for patients.

Gizmodo

Scientists Will Melt Some of Earth’s Oldest Ice to Solve Climate Mystery

These ancient cores may contain clues about an unexplained change in Earth’s glacial-interglacial cycles, and could shed light on how human-generated emissions will shape our planet’s future.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

CNBC

What a Trump, Powell Faceoff Means for Your Money

Tensions are escalating between the White House and the Federal Reserve, with consumers caught in the middle.

CNBC

Student Loan Bills Could Double for Some Borrowers As Biden-Era Relief Expires

Many student loan borrowers could see their monthly bills more than double now that the Biden-era SAVE plan is defunct.

The Walrus

Before You Share That Health Tip, Read This

Misinformation is everywhere. And yes, some of it has probably gotten to you.

Stylist

Managers, Here’s How to Have an Effective 1-to-1, According to Career Experts

How to help your team members get the most from your meetings.

Fast Company

I’m a Two-Time Tech Founder. but Restaurants Are Where I Learned to Lead

The surprising lessons the conveyor belt sushi business taught me. Sudden equipment failures. Supply chain surprises. Retaining staff as the goalposts move in real time. These aren’t challenges I’ve faced as a tech founder—but I have faced them running restaurants.

The Week

How Can You Get the Maximum Social Security Retirement Benefit?

For many, Social Security benefits are a key part of their retirement plan. So it makes sense that you would want to get the most possible from this monthly source of income.

Money.com

Why You Probably Need Flood Insurance — Even if You Don't Live Near Water

Over the Fourth of July weekend, parts of central Texas were devastated by flash floods after the region was hit with the equivalent of four months' worth of rain in just a few hours. At least 134 people were killed, and more than 100 are still missing as of press time.

Yahoo

What Is ‘Revenge Saving,’ and Should You Hop on the Trend?

“Revenge saving” emphasizes making up for poor financial habits by being aggressively frugal or restrictive with your current spending.

GQ

What to Wear to a Job Interview, According to Hiring Experts

Make sure your suit fits, don’t dress too sexy, and other essential advice from professionals in law, tech, finance, and marketing.

Kiplinger

I Want to Buy an Annuity, but I’m Scared I’ll Get Ripped Off. Should I Get One Anyway?

An annuity is a way to achieve lifetime income in retirement, but you need to understand how this product works before making a purchase.

NPR

‘Panicking’: Why Recent College Grads Are Struggling to Find Jobs

Recent college graduates are facing one of the most challenging job markets in years — with the exception of the pandemic period — even as the overall unemployment rate remains low.

Business Insider

The Hot New MBA Hustle

Millennials’ hottest new career pivot: ditching the corporate grind to run unsexy small businesses.