Why United Airlines is investing in crushed rocks | Fast Company

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The airline industry is notoriously hard to decarbonize: large jets traveling long distances can’t feasibly use batteries, and sustainable aviation fuel is still only produced in tiny volumes.

As airlines explore a range of options, United Airlines Ventures’ Sustainable Flight Fund just invested in one possible solution—a system that uses crushed rocks to capture CO2 for use in fuel or to store underground.

The fund announced today that it invested an unspecified amount in Heirloom, a company that uses a powder made from limestone to pull CO2 from the air, relying on the material’s natural ability to absorb the greenhouse gas. At a facility in California’s Central Valley, robots stack trays of the limestone powder into tall stacks exposed to outdoor air. Then the powder is heated in furnaces to release the CO2 so it can be used or stored.

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Bold red lipstick gets its color from crushed bugs. This biotech startup made a version that’s insect-free | Fast Company

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The intense red color of classic lipstick traditionally comes from an unlikely source: crushed bugs that live on cactus plants in South America. It takes tens of thousands of the ground-up insects to make just a pound of the vivid red dye.

The red coloring, called carmine, also shows up in food—from red velvet cupcakes to sausages, gummy candies, and some versions of strawberry yogurt. In the cosmetics industry, major brands started moving away from carmine in the 2010s because of ethical concerns. A growing number of consumers wanted vegan makeup. (Crushing bugs also creates an allergen because of other bug parts that end up in the dye.) But because synthetic dyes don’t perform as well, carmine is still found in some high-end products, from shades of MAC lipstick and NARS blush to Chanel nail polish.

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How to Increase Prices Without Losing Customers | AllBusiness.com

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Amazon made news when the e-commerce giant announced plans to raise the price of its annual Prime membership to $119, up from $99 at the time (it has since been raised to $139). A $20 annual increase works out to less than $2 a month, which certainly isn’t much, especially when you consider that it entitles members to free two-day shipping and streaming access to lots of TV shows, movies, music, and even sports. Still, the internet was filled with outrage and complaints from angry Prime members (and non-members).

That kind of backlash is enough to scare a small business away from raising prices—even though that’s something that you may be considering. The rising costs of labor, energy, and borrowing have forced many small business owners to cut corners in order to make ends meet.

But you don’t have to go on that way. Here are five tactics for raising your prices:

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AI and Hospitality: How AI Is Creating Smart Hotels | AllBusiness.com

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The hospitality industry is undergoing a significant transformation, making it increasingly dynamic. As guest preferences evolve and the demand for personalized experiences grows, hoteliers need to become more tech-savvy by integrating technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

Tools that integrate these technologies, from smart thermostats to robots that guide guests throughout the day, allow hotel staff to become more efficient by streamlining their routine tasks.

In this article, we’ll dive into the future of AI in the hospitality industry, the role of AI in smart hotels, and the challenges faced during implementation.

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Meta Announces Changes to Facebook Live Video Storage Policy | Small Biz Trends

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Meta is updating its Facebook Live video storage policy, limiting the availability of live broadcasts to 30 days before automatic deletion. The change, which takes effect on February 19, will align Facebook’s storage policies with industry standards and streamline how live video content is managed on the platform.

New 30-Day Limit for Live Videos

Under the updated policy, new live broadcast videos can be replayed, downloaded, or shared for 30 days before they are automatically removed from Facebook. Previously, live videos were stored indefinitely.

Additionally, all live videos older than 30 days will be deleted in phases over the coming months. Meta will notify users before deletion, giving them 90 days to download, transfer, or repurpose their content. Users will receive these notifications via email and in the app.

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IRS Warns Taxpayers to Choose Tax Preparers Carefully to Avoid Fraud and Identity Theft | Small Biz Trends

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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is urging taxpayers to exercise caution when selecting tax professionals, warning that while most preparers are reputable, some engage in fraud, identity theft, and other scams. The agency emphasizes that taxpayers remain legally responsible for their tax returns, even if prepared by someone else.

IRS Resources for Selecting a Tax Professional

To help taxpayers make informed choices, the IRS offers several tools, including:

  • The Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications, which lists preparers who meet high professional standards.
  • A dedicated page on IRS.gov with guidance on choosing a reputable preparer, avoiding unethical ones, and understanding different preparer qualifications

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How to Conduct Effective Market Research | Business.com

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Market research provides businesses with valuable insights into their competitors, customers and industry trends. Do it well and you can spot new opportunities before your competitors. You’ll also be better able to anticipate future trends and improve profitability. However, knowing how to get started can be challenging. We’ll outline essential steps for creating your market research plan and share five simple strategies to ensure timely, actionable and effective market research.

How to conduct effective market research

If your business is new to market research, Tyler York, CEO of AdLeg, recommends taking the following steps to get started:

  1. Set clear​​ market research goals: Before starting, establish what you want to achieve with your market research efforts. Are you trying to understand your target audience and its needs better, identify competitors, or test a new product or service idea? Clear goals will guide your process and ensure you collect relevant data.

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Tools to Measure Employee Performance | Business.com

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As a business owner, you must track employee performance to ensure your team progresses on projects and spends company time efficiently. Managers and leaders who notice the quality of a specific employee’s work is dropping can use employee performance tracking software to identify gaps in understanding and resolve the disconnect.

Establishing an employee performance process and tracking the results can get to the core of any workflow issues while holding their teams accountable for their assignments each day. Discover 14 tools below that measure employee performance and the benefits of using such software.

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Are noise-canceling headphones really hurting kids’ hearing? | Digital Trends

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On February 15, BBC News published an article that explored the possible link between the use of noise-canceling headphones and auditory processing disorder (APD) in young people. This will likely come as a shock to many parents who have come to think of these devices as helpful for their kids’ concentration. Parents of neurodivergent children, in particular, see noise-canceling headphones as a vital tool that helps their kids navigate environments that would otherwise be overwhelming.

The existence of a possible APD link also flies in the face of the advice parents are usually given around the use of headphones. Normally, the chief concern with headphones and earbuds is that kids will listen at unsafe volume levels, which could lead to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).

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SpaceX just achieved another first with its Falcon 9 rocket | Digital Trends

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SpaceX undertook a Falcon 9 mission with a difference on Tuesday night, landing the booster in a different country from which it was launched. The spaceflight company shared footage of the feat on social media site X.

Up to now, SpaceX has always landed the returning Falcon 9 booster back at the launch site in Florida or California, or on a droneship off the East or West Coast, but this time it touched down on a droneship off the coast of The Bahamas, some 420 miles southeast of the launch site at Cape Canaveral, Florida — completing its first-ever international voyage.

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