Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Conversation

Five Ways to Make Your Daily Walks Even More Beneficial

Changing the way you walk can improve your cardiovascular health, strength and mental wellbeing.

The Hustle

The $500m Smiley Face Business

Nearly 50 years ago, one man ‘invented’ the modern smiley face. Then, another man halfway across the world made it into a multimillion-dollar cash cow.

BBC Future

The ‘Megascale’ Structures That Humans Could One Day Build

From planet lifters to space cannons, Anders Sandberg explores some of history’s most ambitious visions – and why they’re not as ’impossible’ as they seem.

MIT Press Reader

How Expectations and Conditioning Shape Our Response to Placebos

Kathryn Hall, an expert on placebos, considers the ways that expectations and learning affect our response to them.

MEL Magazine

How Did an Entire Sri Lankan Handball Team Vanish in Germany?

Fox News called them terrorists. Their home country pretended they never existed. But in the end, they were only doing what was best for their families.

Truly*Adventurous

The Last Train Robbery

The Old West goes out with a bang in its last train robbery, leading a series of investigators down unexpected paths to a shocking conclusion.

The Guardian

The Truth About Dark Empaths

They seem sensitive and caring – but really they just want to manipulate you. So how do you recognize the danger signs?

Narratively

The Original New Orleans Diva

With sequins on her arms and a cocktail stirrer hanging from her neck, the most vibrant and vivacious member of NOLA’s preeminent restaurant family made the city her personal playground.

Darius Foroux

Did You Fail At Something? Good—Do Something Else

When something goes wrong, there’s always an upside that will get you back on the right track.

Scientific American

How Parents’ Trauma Leaves Biological Traces in Children

Adverse experiences can change future generations through epigenetic pathways.

Aeon

Cruel to Be Kind: Should You Sometimes Be Bad for Another’s Good?

Turns out, humans have an excellent sense of when a negative emotion will be the best motivation.

Stylist

This Is How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets and Bed (and the Best Way to Keep It Clean)

Have you always wondered when the right time is to wash your bed sheets? We’ve got you covered.

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

Monday, July 7

The Atlantic

The Feminine Pursuit of Swoleness

A new book considers how weight lifting can help you unlearn diet culture.

CNN

Here’s Who Stands to Gain From the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill.’ And Who May Struggle

President Donald Trump has promised that the “big, beautiful bill” passed by Congress will be one of the most successful pieces of legislation in American history.

KCRW

Want Better Bakes? Here’s What Your Ingredients Actually Do

Pastry chef Nicola Lamb sifts through the essential ingredients of baking — flour, sugar, eggs, and butter.

Bon Appétit

An Inside Look at the Best Snack Trends at the Summer Fancy Food Show

At the Comic Con of snacks, we track down the latest in sweet treats, sauces, and drinks.

Reuters

They Tried Made in the USA. It Was Too Expensive for Their Customers.

Tens of thousands of American small and midsize manufacturers are facing the choice between paying steep tariffs on Chinese imports or taking on significantly higher domestic production costs.

New York Magazine

'People Want That African Euphoria'

Black Americans are moving to Ghana — and driving up the cost of living for everyone around them.

The New York Times

He’s Ringo. And Nobody Else Is.

As he turns 85, one of the last surviving Beatles is still musically curious, dispensing his signature wisdom, and preaching the gospel of peace and love.

Boston

Did We Ruin Summer Camp by Making It Safe?

The kids are all right—but are they missing out?

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

CNET

What Is a Heat Dome? All About the Weather Phenomenon Making Things Hotter

It’s super hot in a lot of places around the US right now, thanks in part to the heat dome that has taken hold in the atmosphere.

Outside

Pickle Lemonade Is the Best Way to Replenish Your Electrolytes

My friend who completed the Black Canyon 50K earlier this year, swears by pickles.

CBS News

How Lady Liberty Became a Beacon for Immigrants

The Statue of Liberty, France’s gift to the U.S., was originally viewed as a tribute to the end of slavery. But poet Emma Lazarus reimagined Lady Liberty as a “mother of exiles,” welcoming immigrants to the shores of America.

NBC News

How Trump’s Policies Are Reshaping Immigration Enforcement in Puerto Rico

Residents have decried the “aggressiveness” of immigration raids in a U.S. territory without permanent detention centers, as immigrants are flown across the ocean to the mainland.

CNET

How to Share Games on Nintendo Switch 2 (Spoiler: It’s Easier Than You Think)

There are two methods to share your games between multiple Switch 2 consoles using Virtual Game Cards. And neither one is called GameShare.

Inc. Magazine

Emotionally Intelligent People Use the Ancient Greek ‘Kairos’ Rule to Reduce Anxiety and Make the Most of Their Time

The ancient Greeks didn’t see time the way we do. There’s a lot to learn from their approach.

Popular Mechanics

Archaeologists Found Two Epic Treasures Under the Floors of George Washington’s Mansion

The incredible relics hail from before the Revolutionary War.

MIT Technology Review

Don’t Let Hype About AI Agents Get Ahead of Reality

There is enormous potential for this technology, but only if we deploy it responsibly.

Real Simple

8 Plants You Should Never Deadhead, Expert Gardeners Say

Deadheading these plants could deprive both you and wildlife from the benefits they have to offer.

Kiplinger

Ditch the Golf Shoes: Your Retirement Needs a Side Gig

A side gig in retirement can help combat boredom, loneliness and the threat of inflation eroding your savings. And the earlier you start planning, the better.

PS

Growing up in Dominican Salons Shaped My Identity — Not Just My Curls

Johanna Ferreira shares how growing up in the Dominican hair salon influenced her relationship with her hair and shaped her identity as an Afro-Latina.

MIT Technology Review

Google’s Electricity Demand Is Skyrocketing

The tech giant just signed a deal to buy fusion power. Meanwhile, company emissions are up 50% since 2019.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

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.

Men's Health

How Long It Should Take to Walk a Mile—and How That Can Help to Improve Your Fitness

Whether you're looking to move more or you want to upgrade your daily stroll, these tips will help you pick up the pace.

Lifehacker

Five Psychological Tricks You Can Use to Make Yourself Feel Happier

It’s easy to see why being happy is such a challenge these days. People are working jobs they hate, struggling to pay bills, and living in an increasingly isolated, digitally driven world.

Fast Company

Why Office Gossip Can Be Good for the Workplace (If It’s the Right Kind of Gossip)

Gossip at work is inevitable. But what exactly workers gossip about can be key in dictating company culture. Rumor has it that gossip can be a positive force in workplace cultures, under the right circumstances.