These include the restoration of a Stour Lighter river barge, landscape art and research into historic houses and farm buildings.

BBC: The Stour Valley

After doing some comprehensive research on the competitive landscape for its client Avis, Madison Avenue agency DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach) came to the conclusion that Hertz was far and away No. 1 in the field, and that it would be impossible for Avis to capture the leading position based on an ad campaign alone.

FORBES: China: It Was Better Being No. 2

While many obstacles in Africa are similar to those in other emerging markets, our research shows that five of these challenges are more pronounced, requiring Africa-specific solutions: an underdeveloped infrastructure, a disorganized and fragmented retail landscape, a lack of reliable market research, unclear and ever-changing government regulations and a severely limited talent pipeline.

FORBES: How Companies Overcome Africa's Five Great Challenges

The robot known as GROVER, which stands for both Greenland Rover and Goddard Remotely Operated Vehicle for Exploration and Research, will roam the frigid landscape collecting measurements to help scientists better understand changes in the massive ice sheet.

ENGADGET: NASA's GROVER eco-rover to examine Greenland's ice sheet (video)

Set in the remote, post-apocalyptic desert landscape that is Landers, California, the 38-foot high white dome was built in the 1950s as a research facility by George Van Tassel, a test pilot and aeronautical engineer for Howard Hughes.

FORBES: Strangest Tourist Attraction In Southern California