Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Marginalian

Wisdom from the Life of Mary Somerville, for Whom the Word “Scientist” Was Coined

Inside the hallmark of a great scientist and a great human being — the ability to hold one’s opinions with firm but unfisted fingers.

Romper

The Food Our Parents Fed Us

Cans of Cream of Something and frozen vegetables and rice plus more rice made for dinners that tasted like love. (And sanity.)

Inverse

DNA Is Linked to Depression, But in Different Ways for Men and Women

There are exceptions to every rule. But science shows men and women tend to respond to depression differently.

Mental Floss

15 Amazing Facts About 15 Birds

Here’s a flock of facts about everything avian, from brilliantly colored hummingbirds to acorn-hoarding woodpeckers.

The Drive

How To Dry Your Car the Right Way

Don’t let the sun do the work for you.

The Atlantic

What If Friendship, Not Marriage, Was at the Center of Life?

“Our boyfriends, our significant others, and our husbands are supposed to be No. 1. Our worlds are backward.”

The Conversation

Keeping Fit: How to Do the Right Exercise for Your Age

As we get older, our bodies benefit from different types of exercise. Here’s a guide for all ages.

MEL Magazine

An Unfiltered Oral History of the Marlboro Man

How the leathery-skinned, ever-stoic figure captured the romantic ideal of the American dream, but ultimately came to represent its much darker side.

CityLab

How a Tiny Midwestern Town Became a Mecca for Modern Architecture

A new book explores the design history of Columbus, Indiana, a company town built around an architectural vision.

Apartment Therapy

4 Shower Products That Are Ruining Your Pipes, According to Plumbers

What to skip, what’s safe, and how to fix any problems that do pop up.

BBC Travel

The US’ Lost, Ancient Megacity

In the ancient Mississippian settlement of Cahokia, vast social events – not trade or the economy – were the founding principle.

BBC Worklife

How to Live With Your Regrets

Regret is often seen as undesirable, but it’s a crucial emotion in helping us develop. How do we harness its powerful lessons?

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

Tuesday, August 5

Variety

Ranking the MCU

Every Marvel movie and TV show ranked from worst to best.

PBS

In the Gray World of GLP-1 Supplements Online, Health Experts Urge Caution

TikTok beauty influencer Kaycee Ogle is regularly contacted by brands who want her to promote their products. But one email she received in June was different, and made her curious.

The Kitchn

The Old-School Cheap and Easy Salad That’s So Good, I Make It Twice a Week

Turn instant ramen into something fun and refreshing.

The Walrus

When Immigrants Oppose Immigration

Many established communities are embracing anti-newcomer rhetoric.

Scientific American

What if Infinity Didn’t Exist?

Can “finitism” possibly describe the real world?

CNN

Dream Paris Apartments for Sale at Bargain Prices. The Catch? Someone Must Die

It’s part real estate, part roulette.

Slate

I Quit Drinking. It’s Great. There’s Just One Small Problem.

How do I deal with my emotions without whiskey?

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.

This Quantum Entanglement Trick Has Physicists Losing Their Minds

New research shows that entangled particles can pass on their shared state again and again and again.

Scary Mommy

How To Get Your Kid Back-To-School Ready After Their Feral Gremlin Summer

Late nights, screen marathons, no real structure: Summer means free-roaming for kids. Experts weigh in on getting back-to-school ready without losing your mind.

Martha Stewart

8 Beautiful Plants That Double as Living Mulch to Suppress Weeds and Lock in Moisture

Discover eight stunning plants that act as living mulch, naturally suppressing weeds, retaining soil moisture, and enhancing your garden’s beauty.

Greater Good Magazine

How Does Retirement Affect Our Health and Happiness?

A review of research investigated how mental health and physical activity change in retirees around the world.

Axios

How Many Women on the Board? Fewer Companies Are Saying

The number of companies publicly disclosing data on women in top management roles or other demographic information plunged this year, a new report finds.

Axios

How the Supreme Court Kickstarted the Redistricting Arms Race

Republicans’ plan to redraw Texas’s congressional district map years early launched a nationwide battle, with Democrats promising to retaliate with new partisan maps of their own.

WIRED

What’s Inside the Tiny Miracle Food Pouches That Can Save the Lives of Starving Gazans

Packed with calories and protein, the same magic mixture has successfully treated famine for decades—but due to funding cuts it’s now in short supply.

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.

Time

When Your Job Interviewer Isn’t Human

Job seekers are increasingly interviewed by AI, raising ethical and transparency concerns.

Texas Monthly

‘King of the Hill’ Always Got the Texas Sky Exactly Right

That certain shade of dark blue on a summer night, the eerie tint of a threatening sky, and the glow of golden hour are artfully drawn for the animated series.

Rest of World

Meta Brought AI to Rural Colombia. Now Students Are Failing Exams

When Meta embedded AI bots in its apps, even students in the most remote corners of Colombia gained access. But rather than boosting learning, it’s getting in the way.