1. Damaged newspapers, damaged civic life: How the gutting of local newsrooms has led to a less-informed public (media, Nieman Lab)

2. Stop the Ethanol Madness (energy, The Atlantic)

3.There’s only one way to take on big tech: by reining in big money and big state by Evgeny Morozov (society, The Guardian)

4. Dead Whale, 220 Pounds of Debris Inside, Is a ‘Grim Reminder’ of Ocean Trash (environment, NYT)

5. The “labour illusion”: Why progress bars can make you feel better (psychology, BBC Future)