| | | | | | | Presented By SiriusXM | | | | Axios What's Next | | By Alex Fitzpatrick, Jennifer A. Kingson and Joann Muller · Feb 17, 2023 | | Forget pepperoni and sausage — 2023's big pizza trends to watch are far weirder, Axios' Emma Way reports. Today's newsletter is 1,122 words ... 4 minutes. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Pineapple pizzas are out, pickles are in |  | | | Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios | | | | Mushrooms, pickles and maybe — just maybe — ranch dressing are the big pizza trends to watch this year, according to a new report from Slice, a delivery app for locally owned pizzerias, Axios' Emma Way reports. State of play: Slice identified a few winners and losers in the great toppings debate by tracking orders across the 19,000 mom-and-pop pizzerias using the platform nationwide. The findings: Mushrooms continue to boom in popularity. They were on 8.9% more pizzas in 2022 than the year before, mirroring the larger pro-shroom trend in decor, recipes and parties. - Pickles are having a moment too. "Pickle pizza went viral in 2018 and has steadily become a bigger and bigger favorite," per Slice's report.
- Case in point: A new pickle pizza at the Minnesota State Fair drew some of the longest-ever lines.
- The big loser: pineapple. Last year, Slice predicted the juicy fruit would continue to rise in pizza popularity (despite its controversial status). Instead, it made its way onto 6.1% fewer pizzas in 2022.
Yes, but: The jury's still out on ranch dressing. Slice saw a 9.7% surge of ranch on pizza in 2022, but Uber Eats' "Cravings Report" claims the ranch bubble is bursting. - Ranch dressing was the most-requested special instruction on Uber Eats during the height of the pandemic, but it didn't even crack the top 20 in 2022.
By the numbers: The price of a cheese pizza at Slice pizzerias increased an average of 6.4% last year compared to 2021, the company tells us. - The average cost of a pie is now $17.81, but that varies widely by state.
- Oregon's pizzas are the most expensive, with an average price of $26.94. Oklahoma's are the cheapest, at $12.70.
The big picture: Pizza remains the country's go-to party meal of choice, but nothing brings a group together — or tears it apart — like arguing over toppings and styles. - So much so that Axios Local has put together the ultimate pizza bracket to crown the best pizza city. Today is the championship round, between Detroit and Chicago — and you can vote here.
Share this story. |     | | | | | | 2. Tesla issues self-driving recall |  | | | A line of Model Y vehicles at Tesla's "Gigafactory" on March 22, 2022, southeast of Berlin. | | | | Tesla is recalling 362,758 vehicles equipped with its controversial "Full Self-Driving beta" (FSD) software, which federal safety investigators found can occasionally disregard traffic laws, Joann Muller reports. Why it matters: Software that allows some Tesla cars to exceed the speed limit or behave unpredictably at intersections could increase the risk of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Details: NHTSA researchers discovered the potential safety risks during an ongoing investigation into Tesla's Autopilot driver-assistance technology. - In some circumstances, FSD-equipped cars traveled or turned through intersections during a "stale" yellow light, or traveled straight in a turn-only lane.
- They also sometimes didn't stop long enough at stop signs and failed to adjust their speed when speed limits changed.
What they're saying: "While not concurring with the agency's analysis, Tesla decided to administer a voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution," NHTSA documents show. - As of Feb. 14, 2023, Tesla has identified 18 warranty claims, received between 2019 and 2022, that may be related to the conditions identified by NHTSA.
- Tesla is not aware of any injuries or deaths that may be related to such conditions.
The fix: Tesla said it will perform a free over-the-air software update in the coming weeks to improve how the FSD software negotiates the maneuvers cited by safety officials. The bottom line: NHTSA said it will monitor the recall remedies to see if they're effective in addressing these specific concerns, but added that they do not address the full scope of its investigation into Tesla's assisted-driving software. Share this story. | | | | | | | | 3. Drone sub reveals alarming Antarctic melting |  | | | The Icefin submersible near McMurdo Station in 2019. Photo: Rob Robbins, USAP Diver | | | | Thwaites Glacier, the largest glacier in West Antarctica, is melting faster in some spots than previously understood, per new studies based on data collected in part by a submersible drone, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports. Why it matters: If Thwaites were to disintegrate into the ocean, the portions of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet it holds back could raise global sea levels by up to 10 feet. Driving the news: Two new studies published Wednesday in the journal Nature provide some of the most detailed results gleaned from a $50 million, five-year international research campaign. - Specifically, scientists investigated the glacier's grounding zone, which is where the ice meets the sea and becomes a floating ice shelf.
Zoom in: Scientists used a remotely operated submersible called Icefin inserted into a 2,000-foot hole drilled into the ice, along with other means, to obtain data on ocean temperatures, salinity and other important variables. Between the lines: One of the studies found water near the grounding zone that was well above freezing — but not all of it was reaching the base of the ice. - This suggests that rapid grounding line retreat could be tied to modest melt rates, and that this pace of retreat is likely to continue.
- Should even warmer water reach the base of the ice, retreat would likely quicken.
The intrigue: The second study, which looked at the topography of the glacier's grounding line, found the ice shelf is melting faster in spots with steep slopes and crevasses. What they're saying: "The research will serve to protect cities from sea level rise, with adaptation costs in the billions of dollars for any major city, and trillions of dollars worldwide," study co-author Eric Rignot of UC Irvine told Axios via email. Read the rest. | | | | | | | | A message from SiriusXM | | Stream SiriusXM now and get 3 months for free | | |  | | | | Stream more than 425 channels on your devices for free on the SXM App, including expertly curated ad-free music, live sports, personalized stations and more. Next steps: Sign up now to get 3 months free. Cancel anytime. Learn more about the offer and start streaming. See offer details. | | | | | | 4. One fun thing: PSVR 2 a "terrific upgrade" |  | | | PSVR 2. Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment | | | | Sony's PlayStation VR 2 headset is a big improvement over its previous version, Axios' Stephen Totilo writes, but is unlikely to convert virtual reality skeptics. Driving the news: Sony will make its second major attempt at cornering the VR market with the Feb. 22 launch of PSVR 2. - Unlike Meta's all encompassing vision for a virtual world, Sony is pitching the powerful $550 PSVR 2, which must be plugged into a PlayStation 5, purely as a gaming escape.
Details: PSVR 2 has all of the highest-end VR features and then some. - The headset offers HD graphics with a 110-degree field of view, combined with eye-tracking technology that lets users point a cursor at virtual items just by glancing at them.
- It ditches the external sensors of early VR headsets. Instead, sensors on the headset can scan a user's room in seconds, establishing a safe area to play. An outward-facing camera offers a black-and-white pass-through view of the real world for obstacle avoidance.
- Its ringed controllers are capable of tracking hand position while using touch sensors that can detect the difference between a user pointing a finger or clenching.
Impressions: PSVR 2 is very comfortable and more fun to play than Sony's previous iteration. - Setup was quick, controllers held their charge through a gameplay session, and tracking felt sharp.
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