Such was the Houston company's prowess that in 1972 the Central Intelligence Agency used a Global Marine ship, the Glomar Explorer, to recover pieces of a Russian submarine that had sunk in 17, 000 feet of water in the Pacific.

FORBES: GLOBAL MARINE The Water Is 12,000 Feet Deep

Microsoft's Internet Explorer, or IE, has an 85% global share and comes loaded on every PC with Microsoft's Windows operating system.

FORBES: Magazine Article

These days, thanks to global warming and a receding ice cover, the voyage is easier to complete, says explorer James Delgado, author of Across the Top of the World.

NPR: Warming Eases Northwest Passage, Author Says

The reason, according to Global Insight's Lindland: People can switch from midsized, truck-based SUVs like the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Pathfinder into lighter, more fuel efficient so-called crossover vehicles like the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and forthcoming GMC Acadia without losing much utility.

FORBES

The reason, according to Global Insight's Lindland: People can switch from midsized, truck-based SUVs like the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Trailblazer, Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Pathfinder into lighter, more fuel efficient so-called crossover vehicles like the Honda (nyse: HMC - news - people ) Pilot, Toyota Highlander and forthcoming GMC Acadia without losing much utility.

FORBES: Short Memories