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Pocket’s Best of 2021: Explainers

Why that “expired” food probably isn’t, how English spelling got so weird, and understanding the pandemic stock market boom.

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

Explore the enlightening explainers that Pocket users loved most this year.

Alissa Wilkinson

Stop throwing your food away.

Mitchell Clark

Blocks? Chains? How does this whole thing work?

Arika Okrent

Why is English spelling so weird and unpredictable? Don’t blame the mix of languages; look to quirks of timing and technology.

Neil IrwinWeiyi Cai

It wasn’t just the Fed or the stimulus. The rise in savings among white-collar workers created a tide lifting nearly all financial assets.

Kaleigh RogersJasmine Mithani

Conspiracy theories have long been part of American life, but they feel more urgent than ever.

The year’s most intriguing ideas and indispensable advice, plus the top stories in science, technology, sports, culture, long reads, and more.