The Editorial

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In July, gasoline cost, on average, $3.23 per gallon in the U.S. That compares with $2.27 per gallon in July 2020, and it's the highest price since October 2014. Electricity prices are rising, too.

Industry 4.0 is here. It's not a buzzword or marketing lingo. It's reality, and it's making assembly lines smarter and more efficient.

If both the AFL-CIO and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) support a bill, it should be a lock to pass. Alas, that is not the case with the Biden administration's infrastructure bill.

Good news! According to a new survey of global businesses conducted by American Express and the Centre for Business and Economic Research (CEBR), U.S. companies are the most bullish and optimistic when it comes to business-to-business (B2B) spending than companies in five other industrialized countries.

If there's a silver lining to the COVID pandemic, it might be that it encourages U.S. manufacturers to consider reshoring. Last year's shortages of personal protective equipment, ventilators, pharmaceutical ingredients and other medical products opened a lot of eyes in board rooms and in Washington.

On March 26, Stellantis announced that it would temporarily close five North American assembly plants starting April 5. The affected plants are in Illinois, Michigan, Mexico and Canada. At press time, the plants were expected to be closed through mid-April.

Robots are becoming nearly as common in assembly plants as nutrunners and conveyors. The advent of collaborative robots is only furthering that trend. However, as robots play a greater role on the line, engineers must ensure that workers remain safe around the technology.

On Feb. 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Apprenticeship Act of 2021. This bill would invest nearly $3.5 billion over five years to scale-up apprenticeship opportunities, streamline access to apprenticeships for workers and employers, and expand apprenticeships into new, in-demand industry sectors and occupations.

The best aspect of my job as a journalist covering science and technology is the opportunity to talk with smart, passionate people on a daily basis.

By the time you read this, President Donald Trump might finally have accepted reality and conceded the election. Or, there might be a coup or a zombie apocalypse; it's been that kind of year.