Yesterday, the UK reopened with "freedom day," even as new Covid cases surged by 41%. / The Guardian, NPR

Also yesterday: The US State Dept. and CDC told Americans they should avoid traveling to the UK due to Covid infections. / Reuters

With new Covid cases spreading across the US, a poll shows the unvaccinated are less worried than the vaccinated about the Delta variant. / Ars Technica

Over the past year, non-mainstream, conservative outlets have far surpassed mainstream outlets in Facebook engagement. / NPR

As more everyday people gain access to spy gear, the lines between personal and professional espionage begin to blur. / WIRED

Bookshop.org founder Andy Hunter: "If nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will control nearly 80% of the consumer book market by the end of 2025." / Andy Hunter

See also: Amazon is circumventing product recall regulations, and appears eager to find new ways to avoid taking legal responsibility for what it sells. / The Verge

"There are some things I'm hopeful about, others just look grim to my cynical mind." US middle-schoolers weigh in on the future. / Slate

Roxane Gay on how the toxic internet is changing us. / The New York Times

"How could this woman come out swinging for my beloved scene when so many other subgenres were so much more sexist?!" Why you should read Jessica Hopper's "Emo: Where the Girls Aren't." / constellations, Google Docs

A roundup of scams selling royal titles. / The Hustle

For a century, people have been looking for something to kill off the necktie, and the pandemic may finally do the job. / The Atlantic

One possible way to solve the sand shortage for building materials: crushing plastic waste into a sand alternative. / BBC

Aquatic plants and creatures in translucent sculptures made of polyester, nylon, and cotton, by Mariko Kusumoto. / Colossal

Once cooled in water, ordinary oil droplets "change shape, grow tentacles, and propel themselves around." / Kottke

Photos of doomed architecture. / This Isn't Happiness