Industry

The core of a car has remained relatively the same since Karl Benz first rolled out his Patent Motorwagen in 1886: An engine that drives the wheels, steering gear, and a seat for the driver to sit upon. What has changed the most are the options. These are the luxury bits of a car, and over the years, there have been some real winners (heated seats), real cool ones (that record player in the back of DeSotos), and a few head scratchers.

The one consistent has been manufacturers trying just about anything as a line item on the order sheet

Source: 3 Strange (But Useful) Vintage Car Options – Hagerty Media

Imagine tiny robotic bees buzzing around fields of wildflowers, helping real bees carry out their crucial pollinating duties decades in the future.

It’s a vision that Harvard’s Microrobotics Laboratory has been working on for years. The barrier? Until recently, the only landing

Read the entire article: This Tiny Robot Is Part Bee, Part Crane Fly—and It Finally Has Solid Legs

If your work situation has shifted, and you now have to put in regular in-person appearances in an office, then you might’ve noticed that you’re spending a bit more than you did when you were working from home. If that’s the case — and those grab-and-go lunches and afternoon caffeine fixes have started to add up — you’re definitely not alone.

Owl Labs, a company that builds video-conferencing systems for hybrid workspaces, has released its annual “State of Hybrid Work” report,

Read the entire article: How Much More You Spend to Work From an Office

Individual ketchup packets are in high demand — and suppliers can’t seem to keep up with it.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the price for individual ketchup packets has increased by 13%, the Wall Street Journal reports. Restaurants have been trying to stock up on the packets since the CDC recommended to “avoid using or sharing items that are reusable such as menus, condiments and any other food containers.” That, combined with many eateries reverting to take-out only orders where packets would be included, has resulted in a shortage at chains like Long John’s Silver and Texas Roadhouse, according to WSJ.

Read the entire article: A Ketchup Shortage Is Affecting Restaurants Across the Country | PEOPLE.com

Most of California will be going back into March-style lockdowns following the issuance of a new public health order from Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) that closes large swaths of the economy in regions hardest hit by COVID-19 and places tougher restrictions on businesses allowed to remain open.

Critics say Newsom’s order is full of arbitrary restrictions that will damage small business owners while doing little to stem the spread of the pandemic.

Read the entire article: Gavin Newsom’s New Stay-at-Home Order a ‘Deathblow’ to California’s Small Businesses – Reason.com