I think that patent applications—where human ingenuity meets dreams of profit, within the straitjacket of line diagrams and legal prose—might be my favorite literary form.
A tour through the year in food patents reveals several understated gems, from this "Grater for Gratable Food Products" to ConAgra's "Proportional Length Food Slicing System." The consistent format creates an equalizing effect, as products of massive corporate investment in R&D, such as Sysco's "High Protein, Reduced Carbohydrate Bakery Product," are shelved alongside the inventions of a lone, obsessive-compulsive salad lover whose new container design ensures that no element of the salad touches any other element until such time as the salad lover is ready to eat.
I assumed that a quick browse through the year's patents might serve as a guide to the future of food. It does —but as with all futurology, it works even better as a diagnostic of our prevailing food anxieties and obsessions. Thus anti-obesity techno-fixes, in both pet and human food contexts, were a recurring theme.
Meanwhile, in a year of food recalls and safety reform, several patents claimed to fight bacteria and other pathogens through innovations in food processing, packaging, and preparation devices.
Food journalists may have spent 2010 writing about urban agriculture, backyard chickens, and heirloom vegetable canning, but there was no corresponding boom in window farm, chicken coop, or vacuum sealing patents. Instead, I found a device for inserting a "shrimp-like product" into a buffalo chicken wing and a process whereby a multiple textures of cream cheese (or "other dairy material") could be combined into a single snack format. Even the simple activity of boiling an egg can be improved through the application of technology, it seems.
Browse selected highlights of the year in food patents in this slideshow, and then dive into the full glory of Google Patents search here. A warning: although it is addictive, the overall effect, I find, is simultaneously awe-inspiring and vaguely depressing—something to do with the witnessing the boldness of scientific invention as applied to speeding up the molding of flame-grilled patties, perhaps.
Say goodbye or make amends.Image via Canva - Photo by Inna Postnikova
Friends recording on a camcorder.Image via Canva - Photo by capturenow
This is an AI-generated image using the language "A beautiful woman with long eyelashes and red lips surrounded by swirls of colorful makeup." AI/Canva/Elyssa Goodman 
Wiman hiding her face behind a bunch of cashCanva
A mansion and its reflection in the swimming poolCanva
Salzburg at nightCanva
Fancy homeCanva
Happy volunteersCanva
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
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.