Five Great Reads: the polar expedition racing against time, David Sedaris freaks out about Duolingo, and a doom metal Orthodox priest

The brief

Welcome back to our roundup of great writing from around the Guardian. This week’s selections have people saving species, teasing AI bots, enduring captivity, transforming America and making music for God – something for everyone, really. Have a good weekend. 1. Voyage to the end of the world An expedition is setting off from Norway in a race against time, to find new species while the Arctic’s sea ice is melting fast. “We are losing species before we have time to discover them,” Romain Troublé, a microbiologist-turned-sailor, tells Karen McVeigh. “So we’re there to document these. In the next 20 years, everything will shift.” Some stats: Months: eight. Temperatures: as…