Data: Axios analysis of state Cooperative Extension recommendations; Map: Brad Jennings/Axios
If you envision tiptoeing through tulips or dancing among daffodils next spring, now might be the time to get those bulbs in the ground.
Why it matters: Spring-flowering bulbs need cool soil but also enough time to establish roots before the ground freezes. Planting too early or too late can hurt their chances for a strong bloom.
Tesla and Rivian topped expectations on electric vehicle deliveries over the past three months, an early sign that elevated gas prices may be giving EV demand a lift.
Why it matters: EVs had been down in the dumps for an extended period, but with gas now far above $4 per gallon, some consumers appear to be giving them a second look.
The Supreme Court on Monday will hear arguments in a case that could determine the fate of state-court lawsuits nationwide seeking climate damages from oil giants.
Why it matters: Billions and billions of dollars are at stake for the oil industry in dozens of cases brought by state and local governments.
Several futuristic space experiments involving orbital data centers and high-tech energy transfers launched into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Thursday afternoon.
Driving the news: Among the 130 payloads aboard the Transporter-18 "rideshare" mission:
Protostar, a satellite from startup Star Catcher meant to transmit energy to another satellite — to bear out the idea of an orbital power grid.
Reason-1, a satellite from startup Cowboy Space designed to collect solar energy in space and beam it to Earth.
What they're saying: Cowboy Space founder and CEO Baiju Bhatt tells Axios that the idea is to provide power in places without an existing power grid — a kind of Starlink for energy — while also working toward orbital data centers.
There are also potential military applications, Bhatt adds — powering high-endurance surveillance drones, for example.
Reality check: It's early days for all of these concepts, which have long existed on drawing boards and in sci-fi novels but have yet to be borne out.
The bottom line: It's a boom time for intriguing commercial efforts in Earth orbit, though SpaceX's plan to wind down its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket has left the space industry scrambling for launch alternatives.
A sweeping bipartisan deal to cut permitting red tape faces a long road ahead despite a broad show of support.
Why it matters: Cutting hurdles for energy projects is a top priority for fossil fuels and renewables sectors, but some green groups fear erosion of safeguards.
Data: FactSet; Chart: Axios/Matt Phillips; Note: Bond market figures reflect total returns for the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate bond index and subindexes for U.S. Treasuries and U.S. investment grade and high yield corporate bonds. Momentum stocks reflects the iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF .
Energy stocks were some of the best-performing U.S. assets to own in the just-ended third quarter, as inflationary pressures related to the Iran war and irrepressible U.S. growth established themselves as key price-drivers.
Why it matters: The performance of oil-and-gas drillers, refiners and retailers was crucial to keeping broader indexes such as the S&P 500 in the black (+2%) during the three months that ended Wednesday.
