A new report from the United Nations warns that climate change is threatening to shrink our global food supply. Extreme weather such as droughts and floods plus our own exploitation of natural resources might prevent the human race from being able to feed itself. The report also shows we are losing soil between 10 and 100 times faster than soil is forming. But one company in Finland might have found the solution.
Start-up company Solar Foods is ready if the day ever comes where we finally consume all of our resources thanks to a new protein powder they've created based on a concept by NASA. The company pulls carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by using carbon capture technology, then adds water, nutrients, vitamins, and electricity to the CO2, triggering a fermentation process that's not too different from beer, according to CNN. The finished result is a white, powdery, high-protein substance known as Solein.
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Solein sounds like the food of the future that we've seen in science fiction movies. It looks kind of like flour, and just like flour, can be turned into other foods. It can also be used to boost protein in current foods without making it taste any different, just in case the idea of eating raw protein powder sounds unappealing.
Solar Foods claims Solein is the "most environmentally friendly food there is," and it might live up to those claims. Since Solein is literally pulled out of thin air, it doesn't consume natural resources. The carbon-neutral process removes CO2 from the atmosphere instead of releasing it. It also doesn't have the same limitations as agriculture and it's not as problematic for the environment as the meat industry. And while certain crops can only grow in certain environments, air is everywhere. According to Solar Foods CEO Pasi Vainikka, Solein would allow us to "disconnect food production from agriculture," he told Food and Wine.
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Because Solein can be made from the air we breathe, it gives us options. If resources like land and water become scarce, we can still have food thanks to Solein. If we have to completely abandon the wasteland we've turned the Earth into and live in space, Solein can feed us there, too.
What's the future of this futuristic protein? Solar Foods wants to start selling Solein by 2021, with the aim to produce two million meals made from the product, Dezeen reports. The company is applying for a novel food license from the EU so that it can go into commercial production. Solar Foods envisions Solein as an environmentally sustainable plant-based meat alternative and wants to use it to boost the protein in other meat-alternatives, like Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger.
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Juicy subject matter
Giphy from The Blacklist.
We could start a rumor.
Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.