3 months

That’s how much sooner families will be able to file the dreaded Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, according to new rules that begin October 2016. Another big change: They’ll also be able to use tax data from the previous year. The changes are aimed at FAFSA’s longstanding timing problem with tax returns — releasing the application in January, but asking families to use current tax returns that won’t be filed until later.

$18 billion

That’s how big the bailout could be for Russia’s Vnesheconombank, according to government officials. As reported by Bloomberg, Vladimir Putin used the state corporation to bankroll many special projects, including the Sochi Olympics. A combination of international sanctions and falling oil prices have paralyzed the bank.

7

That’s the wattage of the blue laser used in Allen Pan’s homemade lightsaber. His version of the Jedi weapon can’t exactly cut through objects precisely — it mostly just sets things on fire or engraves wood. But as Mashable tech writes, Pan is working on a larger, more accurate version of the lightsaber.