An ingenious scheme to encourage people to take their TB meds. Tuberculosis treatment is a drag. Patients require a six-month course of antibiotics to clear the lung infection, which plagues a third of the world's population and kills 2 million each year. Sure, after roughly two to three months, symptoms such as a lingering cough and fever will subside. But halting the regimen then allows the bacteria to acquire antibiotic resistance, creating TB strains that are tougher to control as they spread. Getting patients to stay on their meds is tough enough in the developed world, but in areas short on health care facilities, it can be nearly impossible.X out TB is a system designed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students that uses a carrot-and-stick principle to keep TB sufferers popping their pills. Patients receive a dispenser that every 24 hours releases a strip of paper with a string of numbers on it. This test stamp contains chemicals that react to metabolites from TB drugs in urine to highlight a subset of those numbers. A compliant patient can text message the code from a successful test to a central database and-as in a pilot study of 30 patients in Nicaragua-be rewarded with free cell phone minutes. The program is now being tested in Kirachi, Pakistan, and will soon be employed in Indonesia, as well.According to X out TB team member Elizabeth Leshen, the microfluidics technology that makes the test reliable could be engineered to detect remnants of drugs associated with other diseases, such as HIV. And while mobile phone minutes (which are provided by local carriers) are valuable to people in the developing world, they are not the key to the system. "If, in certain areas, there is another, more powerful incentive that can be easily distributed through an existing infrastructure," she says, "we can incorporate that alternative incentive in the place of cell phone minutes."Photo by Jose Gomez-MarquezBack to interactive site
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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.