Despite the poor fiscal state that much of the Western world is in, this setback doesn’t mean man’s aspirations to travel beyond our planet have gone away. The European Space Agency have announced two of its most ambitious missions to date that will broaden our collective knowledge about the universe. The initiators of these grand endeavors are pictured below.

Microsoft announced back in May that they intended to purchase popular VoiP service Skype for a deal worth $8.5 billion, Microsoft received FTC approval for the deal in the US back in June.

The lucky species of microbes are collectively known as anammox bacteria. The anammoxians (let the awkward handle suffice for now) are blessed with a rare appetite for bodily fluids, which isn’t very surprising for bacteria. What makes them extra special is their unique role as converters in the recycling process. Not just any recycling, however, but recycling into fuel. This isn’t particularly surprising, since bacteria are among the most efficient and ubiquitous organisms on our planet (and beyond, perhaps).