Popular Science
A Key Part of the Big Bang Remains Troublingly Elusive
Physicists still don't understand what happened in the instant after the Big Bang.
Pocket-Worthy Reads
Stories to fuel your mind
The Drive
Here’s How To Drive In Snow
Learn these techniques to stay safe on snow-covered roads.
Smithsonian Magazine
Looking to Ditch Twitter? Morse Code Is Back
Reviving a 200-year-old system, enthusiasts are putting the digit back in digital communication.
BBC Future
Why Short-Sightedness Is on the Rise
Soaring rates of short-sightedness in children are alarming parents and doctors around the world. Can we turn the tide?
Good Housekeeping
A Complete Guide to Pilates for Beginners
Tone, strengthen and lengthen with this simple workout you can try at home.
The Guardian
11 Ways to Easily Test Your Strength, Balance and Mobility – And Make Them All Better
Can you touch your toes, get up from a chair using just one leg, hold a plank for 30 seconds? If you want to take care of your body, the first step is to take stock of it.
The Conversation
Like Your Pet More Than People? So Did Some of the Greco-Romans
From dogs to snakes, people have been keeping pets for millennia. Here’s what people in ancient civilizations thought about their furry (or scaled, or feathered) friends.
Mental Floss
14 Experiments Gone Wrong
From studies that would never pass ethical muster in the present day to disastrous product launches, here are some experiments that went horrifically wrong.
Nautilus
Homo Narrativus and the Trouble with Fame
We think that fame is deserved. We are wrong.
The Guardian
Make a Much Shorter To-Do List! 15 Quick, Simple Ways To Avoid Overwhelm
From weightlifting to woodland walks, Guardian readers and health experts share their tried-and-tested ways to keep burnout at bay.
Atlas Obscura
The Pirate Who Penned the First English-Language Guacamole Recipe
His food-writing firsts included the use of the words “barbecue” and “chopsticks.”
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
Pocket’s Top-Saved Stories of the Week: January 18, 2024
The most anticipated books of 2025, how often you should be washing your towels, and why being an only child is great.
Pocket Collections
How to Study More Effectively, No Matter What You’re Trying to Learn
The memorization hacks, note-taking skills, and mandatory brain breaks that will help you better retain information.
Pocket x Thomson Reuters Foundation
AI Will Change the World. But How Exactly?
AI promises huge impact across every industry, from healthcare to Hollywood. But what will its impact look like?
Pocket Collections
Your Daily Walk Deserves an Upgrade
How to break up the monotony of a routine stroll, why to give rucking a go, and the strange appeal of reversing your stride.
Pocket Collections
How to Survive Quitting Coffee
Skipping your morning caffeine fix doesn’t need to be as tough as you think it’ll be. Here’s advice to get through the (temporary) pain of it.
Pocket Collections
The Grown-Up’s Guide to Dealing With a (Grown-Up) Bully
Bullying doesn’t stop once you hit adulthood—it just happens more stealthily. Here’s how to respond when someone tries to make you feel small.
Pocket Collections
How to Stop Being So Mean to Yourself
A gentle guide to dialing down the negative self-talk and showing yourself a little more grace.
Pocket Collections
5 Tech Habits to Quit for a Happier Life
From kicking the doomscroll habit to weaning yourself off social media.
Pocket Collections
Pocket’s Top-Saved Stories of the Week
How white noise helps you sleep, why you should clean out your chat history, and the scientists searching for life after death.
Pocket Collections
How to Write (Almost) Anything, From a Great Joke to a Killer Cover Letter
Whether you’re just looking to punch up your tweets or have ambitions to write the Great American Novel, we’ve got you covered.
Pocket Collections
How to Communicate Better at Work
The tiresome phrase to skip when sending work emails, a 3-step guide to make your writing clearer, and the art of a successful negotiation.
Pocket Collections
How to Be Less Judgmental
Understanding and challenging the exhausting habit of being overly critical can improve your relationships—and your quality of life.
Today’s Pocket Hits
Friday, January 17
BBC
A Pink Powder Is Being Used to Fight California Fires. It’s Getting Everywhere
The bright substance blanketing areas of Los Angeles County has long been used to stop wildfires from spreading.
Fast Company
Inside ‘Teflon Joe’s’: Why Your Favorite Grocery Store Is Not What You Think
How Trader Joe’s remains a beloved brand despite record product recalls, safety violations, worker misconduct complaints, and an environmental record that belies its reputation.
The Nation
Jazz Off the Record
In the late 1960s, the recording industry lost interest in America’s greatest art form. But in a small, dark club on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, jazz legends were playing the best music you’ve never heard.
The Guardian
David Lynch: The Great American Surrealist Who Made Experimentalism Mainstream
From disturbing debut Eraserhead to his masterpiece ‘Mulholland Drive’, Lynch’s dark tales combined radical experiment with everyday Americana.
The Walrus
Why Are More Young People Being Diagnosed With Cancer?
Better screening is only a small piece of the puzzle.
HuffPost
Flight Attendants Reveal the 9 Things They Never Do As Air Passengers
Crew members have a unique perspective when it comes to traveling on a plane.
CBC
The Cost of the Canadian Dream
Immigrating to Canada, once a goal for many, is now seen as a costly and often futile endeavour.
The Washington Post
The 45 Definitive Rules of Hotels
A handbook for the civilized hotel guest, from booking to checkout.
Recommended Reads
Curated by Pocket
WIRED
Los Angeles Needs to Fireproof Communities, Not Just Houses
After the devastation of the Los Angeles fires, officials are ready to rebuild. But defending against future fires requires thinking about more than buildings.
The Associated Press
What Products Contain Red 3 Dye? Checking Ingredient Labels Is the Best Way to Find Out
The Food and Drug Administration ordered food and drug makers to remove a dye called Red 3 from the products U.S. consumers eat and drink.
NPR
Inflation Remains Stubbornly High for Many Americans. Could It Get Worse Under Trump?
Inflation has been an economic scourge for many Americans under President Biden — and it could remain a continued problem under Donald Trump.
The Ringer
Wait, What Do I Need to Remember From ‘Severance’ Again?
Three years is a long time. Here’s a refresher on the ins and outs of Lumon Industries.
CNBC
Here’s Who Qualifies for Biden’s Latest Round of $4.2 Billion in Student Loan Forgiveness
See who qualifies for the Biden administration’s latest round of student loan forgiveness, which impacts more 150,000 people.
USA TODAY
Harry Doyle Highlights: Bob Uecker’s Greatest ‘Major League’ Moments
For many non-baseball fans, Bob Uecker, who died Thursday at age 90, was first and foremost, a hilarious actor.
BBC
Why Global Stars Like Coldplay and Ed Sheeran Are Hitting India
Coldplay and Ed Sheeran are set to start their tours to sell-out crowds in the country.
Time
How Land Reshuffling Made the American West’s Racial Divide
Power in society is tightly linked with the racialized ownership of land, and the privileges that ownership confers, writes Michael Albertus.
Axios
Temperatures to Plummet From Polar Vortex-Related Arctic Blast
This frigid air will be far colder than the event that occurred earlier this month, forecasters say.
The New Yorker
How Did the Los Angeles Fires Get So Out of Control?
A climate scientist discusses how to think about and weigh the variables that led to the current disaster.
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Travel + Leisure
This Small Oregon Town Makes the Best Cheddar Cheese in the World — and It’s the Perfect Day Trip From Portland
Tillamook, a small town in Oregon, is perfect for a day trip, weekend getaway, or full week vacation. Here’s how to plan a trip.
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Martha Stewart
How to Find Designer Handbags at Thrift Stores (and Spot Fakes), According to Experts
Experts share what to look for and when to pass.
Life Hacks
Tips for better living
HuffPost
Your Alcohol Bottles May Look Different Soon — And It Might Make You Drink Less
Many aren’t aware of this health risk that comes with alcohol consumption. Experts are looking to change that through the packaging.
NPR
The Secret to Doing Hard Things and Getting Stuff Done
Some people team up with an “accountability partner” or “accountability group” to accomplish big goals or tasks. Here’s how to set up a successful partnership.
HuffPost
Doctors Reveal Why Some People Can't Grow Long Hair, And The Answer Is Frustrating
“There’s no magic trick to growing it past what your genetics allow.” So save your money on those hair-growth supplements.
The Atlantic
The New Temperance Is All About Health
How sobriety went from a radical social movement to a tool of self-optimization.
Money
Why California's Wildfires Could Make Your Home Insurance Pricier — Even if You Don't Live There
Even if you live thousands of miles from the catastrophic wildfires sweeping greater Los Angeles, you should brace yourself for sticker shock the next time your homeowners insurance comes up for renewal.
Time
How Doctors Are Pushing Medical Credit Cards on Patients
Why the growing industry creates problems for patients.
HuffPost
Can You Stop Varicose Veins From Forming? Here’s What Doctors Say.
Here’s what experts want you to know about this common medical condition.
SELF
The Best Leg Day Workout Plan, According to Top Trainers
Some smart programming will give your butt, quads, and hamstrings the challenge they need.
Time
Why Do Taxi Drivers Have a Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s?
The finding has implications for all of us, write Harvard physician-researchers Christopher Worsham and Anupam Jena.
SELF
What Is ‘Retroactive Jealousy’—and How Do I Stop It From Ruining My Relationship?
It’s okay to be a little preoccupied with your partner’s ex. But how you manage those insecurities makes all the difference.
Los Angeles Times
L.A. Fires: Is That GoFundMe Account Legit? How to Spot Scams When Helping Victims
Officials warn of possible fraudulent GoFundMe accounts, the platform explains its verification process and experts share guidance on GoFundMe fundraisers.
The Guardian
A Moment That Changed Me: I Tasted Honey So Sublime, I Gave up My Career to Keep Bees
When a neighbour let me see inside his hive, it set me on a path to an extraordinary life second act.