Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Hustle

The Strange Business History of the Ouija Board

How an entrepreneur merged spiritualism and capitalism to create a multimillion-dollar brand.

Slate

You Can Write a Best-Seller and Still Go Broke

Why is it so hard for writers to talk candidly about how much money they make?

MIT Press Reader

The Thorny Ethics of Planetary Engineering

Whenever someone waxes poetic about terraforming alien worlds, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the ethical implications of the proposal.

Inc.

Why ‘Early to Bed, Early to Rise’ Is a Myth (and Night Owls Can Finally Rejoice)

Waking up early isn’t the secret to success—focusing on your chronotype is what’s more important.

Afar

Advice on Learning a New Language From People Who Speak Up to 16

Anyone can learn a new language, no matter their age. Simply follow this expert advice down the sweet-talking path to success.

Apartment Therapy

The 6 Biggest Pet Peeves Home Stagers Have About Your Bathroom

If you’re planning to sell your house soon, don’t fall into these outdated bathroom traps.

Darius Foroux

Time Blocking: Improve Your Focus And Get More Meaningful Work Done

We need self-awareness and tools that keep us in check.

Inverse

Can Spicy Food Boost Our Gut Health? Here’s What the Science Says.

Foods that help the microbiome flourish could provide a host of health benefits.

Knowable Magazine

What if We Tolerated Diseases?

The immune cells that fight viruses are well-known. But some scientists think we should allow our bodies to more harmlessly live with pathogens until they’re cleared from our system.

Truly*Adventurous

She Was a Global Superstar—and a World-Class Spy

The untold story of Josephine Baker, espionage agent.

Atlas Obscura

The World Is Studded With Artificial Mountains

They’re fake, but they can be spectacular (and hazardous).

Bon Appétit

Big-Flavor Broccoli

This is our hands-down favorite way to cook the whole plant.

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

Wednesday, August 6

NPR

What’s the Deal With Electrolyte Drinks — Do You Need Them to Stay Hydrated?

A classic 20-ounce bottle of lemon-lime Gatorade contains nearly one-eighth teaspoons of salt and 80 milligrams of potassium — electrolytes “to help replace what you sweat out,” the product’s ads say.

Quanta Magazine

At 17, Hannah Cairo Solved a Major Math Mystery

After finding the homeschooling life confining, the teen petitioned her way into a graduate class at Berkeley, where she ended up disproving a 40-year-old conjecture.

SELF

The ‘Contrarian Friend’ Is Real—and They’re Driving Everyone Crazy

When disagreeing with you becomes someone’s entire personality.

Eater

The Best Housewarming Gifts (That You’ll Want for Yourself)

If a whole leg of ham is a little too much, there’s always a pickle crock.

The Guardian

Frying Solo? 20 Pantry, Fridge and Freezer Essentials for Single Households

Olives, chickpeas and dukkah are a few of the basic ingredients writer and former caterer Elizabeth Quinn keeps on hand. Here she shares quick recipes for eating solo.

Scientific American

The Hidden Way Allergens Attack Nose, Throat and Lung Cells

The immune system senses damage to cell membranes caused by pore-forming proteins and mounts a response.

POLITICO Magazine

Meet the Fraudster Who Wants to Make California Its Own Country

The man behind the Calexit movement claims to be a baller. But he’s broke.

The New Yorker

Treating Gaza’s Collective Trauma

In Gaza, where displaced children play games called “air strike” and act out death, the lack of mental-health resources has become another emergency.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Lifehacker

21 of the Weirdest Things You Can Bring on an Airplane

The list of things you can bring on a plane is maybe just as strange as what you can’t.

CNET

The Next Planet Parade Is Coming Soon: Here’s How to See Six Planets Line Up

Mark your calendar -- you can catch Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune and Uranus in the sky at the same time.

NBC News

How Trump Is Reshaping Government Data

The Trump administration has influenced data used by researchers, economists and scientists — an effort that drew more attention after the president fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Kiplinger

Think Twice Before Co-Signing or Guaranteeing a Lease for Your Kids

If you co-sign or guarantee a lease for your kids, make sure you understand the risks.

Smithsonian Magazine

You Can Now Have a Conversation With the Statues at Versailles Using Artificial Intelligence

Through the palace’s smartphone app, visitors can speak with nearly two dozen stunning sculptures and fountains at the historic site in France.

SELF

6 Things I Learned From Blowing up My Marriage (and Life) in My 30s

Disappointing others is uncomfortable—but it’s not the same as doing something wrong.

ABC News

How Trillions in Government Debt Could Hit Your Wallet, According to Experts

A federal agency ratcheted up its estimate of debt tied to Trump’s spending law.

Discover

Could These Food Products Act As a Natural Ozempic?

Learn more about the gut microbiome’s digestion of the amino acid tryptophan, which creates byproducts with potential for treating certain metabolic conditions.

CNN

VIDEO: Esports and Gaming Gains Momentum in the Middle East

This year, the Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia offers a $70 million prize pot. With over 2,000 gamers competing, CNN’s Eleni Giokos explores the industry’s exponential growth across the region.

Romper

How Teachers Really Feel About Parents Emailing Them *Before* the First Day of School

Teachers get a lot of emails, so is it OK to send them one before your child even has their first day of school?

Variety

Lyrical Media Launches Indie Video Game Publisher Led by UTA, Take Two Vet Blake Rochkind

Alexander Black’s production company Lyrical Media has launched privately funded indie video game publisher Lyrical Games.

Mental Floss

This Backcountry Mug Cake Will Sweeten up Your Next Camping Trip

With a few ingredients and minimal gear, you can enjoy a rich, portable backcountry cake on any camping trip.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

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.

HuffPost

This Magic Number Is the Highest Heel Height You Should Wear, According to Podiatrists

“Listen to your feet, because they’re trying to tell you something.”

BBC

The Unusual Brains of Noise-Sensitive People

Though noise sensitivity is often dismissed by doctors, it can have long-term effects on our mental and physical health.

NBC News

Tips to Help Manage Your Buy Now, Pay Later Loans

While such loans can help you make large purchases without paying interest or undergoing hard inquiries in your credit report, they can also easily be overused.

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.

CBS News

RFK Jr. Halts $500 Million for MRNA Vaccine Research

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the federal government is calling off around $500 million worth of vaccine development projects that use mRNA technology.

CNBC

Credit Card Debt Reaches $1.21 Trillion — in Line With Last Year’s All-Time High, NY Fed Finds

Credit card balances rose by $27 billion in the second quarter to $1.21 trillion, according to a new report by the New York Fed.

The Guardian

Burn Notice: Gen Z and the Terrifying Rise of Extreme Tanning

Nasal sprays, injections and sunbeds – for many people, the yearning for a tan now outweighs the risks. But why?

Fast Company

These Creatives Moved to Europe and Designed a Better Life and Career. Should You?

Thinking of leaving the United States for life abroad? You’re not alone. A record-setting 21% of Americans expressed a desire to emigrate in 2024. While politics might play a role in the uptick, an increasing number of creative professionals are also leaving for career reasons.

Allure

A New Form of Alopecia Is Affecting Menopausal Women

Experts are calling it an “emerging epidemic.”

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.

NBC News

A Second Person Has Died and More Than 50 Are Sick From Legionnaires’ Cluster in Harlem

Adults who have been in the affected area since late July with flu-like symptoms, fever, cough, or difficulty breathing should seek immediate medical attention, health officials say.