Pocket Future

Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

Scientific American

How to Turn Around Troubled Teens

Research reveals that get-tough tactics may worsen rates of juvenile delinquency.

Fast Company

How to Tap Into Your Brain’s 4 Attention States to Get More Done

Instead of using traditional time management techniques, we need to manage our attention and workflow.

Afar

6 U.S. Islands Where You Can’t Help but Slow Down

Whether you’re strolling the coast of an Atlantic island or savoring the sunset on Hawaii’s low-key paradise, you’ll be surprised at how quickly time becomes irrelevant.

Outdoor Life

How to Not Get Lost When Your GPS Fails

Your GPS is a modern marvel of navigation—until it fails. Here’s what to do next.

The Atlantic

The Age of the Unique Baby Name

Parents used to want kids to fit in. Now they want them to stand out.

Quartz

Professional Romance Novelists Can Write 3,000 Words a Day. Here’s How They Do It.

Insider tips from some of the best hustlers in publishing.

Narratively

Confessions of a Failed Self-Help Guru

I traveled around the country telling strangers how to better their lives—until I learned that those offering to solve your problems are often the ones who need help.

BBC Future

How to Teach Children About Risk

Lessons in the rational appraisal of danger may be the secret to a happier, healthier life – and they can be mastered through a few simple steps.

Teen Vogue

Where Did All The Tween Fashion Go?

“A lot of teens are buying clothes that they’re not necessarily interested in, but it’s what the people around them like.”

MIT Press Reader

A Buddhist Monk and a Neuroscientist in Conversation

An excerpt from "Beyond the Self: Conversations between Buddhism and Neuroscience."

Smithsonian Magazine

The Texas City Where Mermaids Inspire River Conservation

“Aquamaids” were once the stars at an amusement park in San Marcos. Now, they are making a comeback to help the environment.

MEL Magazine

The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of MSG

You probably know monosodium glutamate from its link to so-called ‘Chinese Restaurant Syndrome’ — and that’s precisely the problem.

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

Saturday, August 16

ESPN

The Predatory Web of Sextortion Increasingly Ensnares Young Athletes

A Michigan teen was goaded into sharing an intimate photo that scammers threatened to expose unless he paid up.

BBC

How Kentucky Bourbon Went From Boom to Bust

Tariffs, oversupply and teetotaling Gen-Zs have all contributed to the downfall of one of America’s most iconic liquors.

CBS News

This Car Ranks as America’s Most-Stolen Vehicle

Here’s why one Chevrolet model is the most-stolen type of car, according to a new report.

NPR

Why the Origin of the Word ‘Dog’ Remains a Mystery

They’re known as man’s best friends, fur babies, pooches. But the most widely used word for these beloved animals — “dog” — is also a great linguistic mystery.

BBC

Why ‘Best Time to Visit’ No Longer Applies

Climate change is rewriting the rulebook for trip planning – and travellers need to adapt.

The Guardian

Why Do I Feel So Much Worse After a Nap – and How Can I Avoid It?

Waking up from a nap feeling groggy, tired or ill? Experts say it’s common. Here’s what could be going wrong.

New York Magazine

The Crypto Maniacs and the Torture Townhouse

How two men charged with an outrageous kidnapping scheme introduced a new kind of crime to the city.

The New York Times

He Announced His Intention to Die. The Dinner Invitations Rolled In.

In early December, a 28-year-old Ghanaian artist and entrepreneur named Joseph Awuah-Darko announced on Instagram that he wanted to die.

Embryos Small but Mighty, First Live Videos Show

Scientists have recorded a human embryo implanting in a womb in real time. The implications of how it happens could lead to more and better treatments for infertility.

The Conversation

How Bad Science Is Becoming Big Business

Fraudulent science is becoming an industry.

Popular Mechanics

For Longer-Lasting Clothes, Science Says Use This Wash Cycle

This time and temperature keeps fabrics strong and prevents premature aging.

CNN

12 of America’s Most Iconic Sandwiches and Where to Eat Them

The deep, diverse array of US sandwich options owes much of its greatness to the creativity and resourcefulness of immigrant communities.

Real Simple

9 Companion Plants to Boost Your Fall Vegetable Garden

Pairing these plants in your garden will give you a more abundant harvest.

Mental Floss

7 Retro Toys From the Atomic Age

In the 1950s, the science kits sold in toy stores may have contained real radioactive material.

Vulture

Every Denzel Washington Movie, Ranked

Of all A-list stars, Denzel Washington’s career may be the most enviable.

Fast Company

Why AI Is Vulnerable to Data Poisoning—and How to Stop It

Researchers have built a new tool that leverages both federated learning and blockchain as a bulwark against data poisoning.

BBC

Watch Robot Athletes Compete in World’s First Humanoid Games

Teams from 16 countries are competing in a range of sports including football, athletics and dance as part of the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, China.