Pocket-Worthy Reads

Stories to fuel your mind

The Marginalian

Schrödinger on Quantum Physics, Vedanta, and the Mystery of What We Are

“This life of yours which you are living is not merely a piece of the entire existence, but is in a certain sense the whole.”

Scott Young

How to Start Your Own Ultralearning Project

With a bit of effort, you can learn a new skill in less time than you thought. Here’s the guide for how to go all in.

Country Living

How to Get Rid of Drain Flies Permanently

Kick out those shower- and sink-loving insects before they get out of hand.

Slate

Nearly All Infants Lose Weight After They’re Born. So Why Do Hospitals Focus on It So Obsessively?

Don’t panic, it’s very common, especially if a child is breastfed.

Truly*Adventurous

The Mind-Boggling Exploits of Australia’s Craftiest Conwoman

She posed as an air hostess, a psychologist, but most often as a cop. Then she fell in love with one.

Atlas Obscura

I Asked Leading Entomologists: ‘What’s The Smartest Bug In The World?’

Some insects can count, recognize human faces, even invent languages.

The Kitchn

The Best Way to Cook Salmon

After trying 5 different methods for cooking salmon, the winner is clear.

Romper

Why Do Babies Do the Newborn Scrunch?

It’s like they’re trying to melt your heart.

The Washington Post

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Miso Butter Pasta Is All About Comfort

The chef and restaurateur’s cookbook features dishes that nurture and offer convenience, nostalgia and indulgence.

The Drive

How to Change Your Own Oil

Basic? Yes. Necessary? Also yes. Instagramable moments? You know it.

Mental Floss

Home Sweet Homer: The Strange Saga of the Real-Life Simpsons House in Nevada

A nearly identical replica of the Simpsons’ family home was built for a giveaway, but when the winner refused it, the developers had to find a buyer.

The Guardian

The Dead Hang Delight: How This Quick, Surprisingly Simple Exercise Can Change Your Life

Would you like to strengthen your upper body and core muscles, while improving your flexibility and breathing? Here’s how to do it.

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

Thursday, June 5

Phoenix New Times

A Septic Tank in This Tiny Arizona Town Could Crack a 2006 Cold Case

Keith King vanished 19 years ago in Seligman. A private detective thinks he knows where King’s body is — and who killed him.

Thrillist

These Books Are the Perfect Companion to Your Summer Travels

Thrillist editors recommend post-apocalyptic thrillers, romantic beach reads, and palatable nonfiction.

The Washington Post

Parents Can Defeat the Smartphone Epidemic. They Can’t Do It Alone.

Families have successfully kept their kids off screens. Their secret? Organized resistance.

Bon Appétit

Your Dishwashing Style Says a Lot About Who You Are

There are two types of cooks: Those who clean as they go and those who let it all pile up for later.

The Atlantic

A Bizarre PTSD Therapy ‘Seemed Too Good to Be True’

What if overcoming trauma can be painless?

5280 Magazine

I Tried Magic Mushrooms for My Mental Health. Here’s What Happened.

In Colorado, scientists are looking to bring psychedelic mushrooms to the masses. Could their purported healing properties help me?

Glamour

What to Eat for Breakfast, According to a Nutritionist

Is it really the most important meal of the day?

SELF

7 Ways to Heal Your Relationship With Exercise and Movement

Moving your body shouldn’t be a punishment.

Recommended Reads

Curated by Pocket

Smithsonian Magazine

Cats Can Recognize Their Owner’s Scent Compared to a Stranger’s, New Research Suggests

In an experiment, domestic cats spent longer sniffing cotton swabs with the scents of unfamiliar people than swabs with the scent of their owner.

Parents

My Tween & Teen Don’t Like Playing Games, but They Beg to Play This $20 Card Game Daily

The Words Are Hard game is a favorite pastime of my tween, teen, and even 88-year-old grandma. This popular card game is only $20 on Amazon.

capitalbnews.org

Larry Hoover’s Federal Sentence Commuted. How Have Chicago Streets Changed?

The former gang leader must still serve the remainder of his 200-year sentence stemming from a 1973 conviction.

Nautilus

Our Boiling Seas

Scientists are getting better at predicting marine heatwaves. But is it enough to save ecosystems and vulnerable species?

The Conversation

Is Methylene Blue Really a Brain Booster? A Pharmacologist Explains the Science

Health influencers are promoting the chemical as an elixir that improves memory and focus. But evidence for these claims is thin.

The New Yorker

A Big-League Bet on Pro Softball

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League, led by the former M.L.B. executive Kim Ng, plans to capitalize on the surge of interest in women’s sports and to finally give the game its due.

Time

The Most-Cited Computer Scientist Has a Plan to Make AI More Trustworthy

Yoshua Bengio launches his nonprofit LawZero in an effort to create ‘Scientist AI’–a model that hopes to avoid some of AI’s most dire risks.

NPR

Miracle Balm or Cow Pie? What’s Behind the Beef Tallow Skincare Trend

Rendered beef fat is having a moment as a viral skincare trend. TikTok influencers claim this 'natural' product is a complexion panacea. But is it? We asked skincare experts.

The New Yorker

Stephen Malkmus’s New, Er, Supergroup

The Pavement front man passed through town with his latest project, the Hard Quartet, and showed off his one-handed backhand.

Polygon

What If Zelda Was Funny (on Purpose)? There’s a Game for That.

How the Revenge of the Savage Planet team got away with making a playable cartoon.

The Atlantic

A Bizarre PTSD Therapy ‘Seemed Too Good to Be True’

What if overcoming trauma can be painless—even fun?

CNET

AirTag 2 Rumors: What We’ve Heard About Apple’s Next Location Tracker

The AirTags have yet to be refreshed since their debut in 2021, but there are rumblings that the location tracker could be ready for an update.

Life Hacks

Tips for better living

Harvard Business Review

Why Employees Work While Sick—and How Leaders Can Stop It

New research suggests that presenteeism isn’t simply a matter of personal choice or lack of sick leave—it’s a structural problem rooted in how jobs are designed and workplace expectations are managed.

NPR

A Surprising Trick to Making Hard Choices: Try Thinking Less

The tactic may seem counterintuitive, but it can help you make tough decisions faster and with more confidence, says decision coach Nell Wulfhart.

Business Insider

New Data Confirms It: Companies Are Hiring Less in Roles That AI Can Do

Most people assume it will take years for AI to reshape the job landscape. But tasks that chatbots can do are already vanishing from job postings.

The Atlantic

You Don’t Know Yourself As Well As You Think You Do

The dream of perfect self-knowledge is unattainable, and chasing it too doggedly can leave you more confused and stuck than when you started.

CNBC

As Denmark Raises Its Retirement Age to 70, Experts Weigh in on Whether the U.S. May Follow Its Lead

Raising the retirement age to 70 would help Social Security's trust fund shortfall. But experts say an across-the-board change may hurt some beneficiaries.

The Guardian

I Found Myself Googling: Can Brain Cancer Cause Hiccups? How I Fell Into a Hypochondriac Rabbit Hole

Begging doctors for tests, I worried that I was missing something and heading for an early death. Would understanding the roots of my health anxiety lead me to a cure?

Yahoo

4 Signs It’s Time to See a Financial Therapist

If your finances are causing you mental strife, seeking help from a professional can help you unpack the root cause and work toward a positive money mindset.

Inc. Magazine

6 Side Hustles That Could Take Off as Tariffs Grow

The full effect of the Trump tariffs likely won’t be seen in the U.S. for a few months, but the impact is already being felt on some products and at some retailers. Prices are inching higher despite temporary pauses on the highest duties in products from China and the European Union.

Inc. Magazine

How to Effectively Return to the Office After Vacation, According to a Productivity Coach

You’ve had the most relaxing vacation over the past several days but are dreading returning to the office. Even if you absolutely love working as an entrepreneur, the sheer thought of getting back to the daily grind is enough to make you sigh.

CNBC

Etsy CEO: People Who Make These 2 Early-Career Moves Become More Successful Than Most

Etsy CEO Josh Silverman shared the the two steps he took early in his career that set him up for later success, at Pace University's 2025 commencement ceremony.

CNBC

Social Security Checks May Be Smaller Starting in June for Some, As Student Loan Garnishments Begin

The Trump administration warned that Social Security benefits could be garnished for defaulted student loans as early as June. What to know.

Men's Health

How to Become Mentally Ready for Anything – 3 Techniques Used by the U.S. Army

There are some important transferable skills to use for your everyday life.