Google Labs has just released the Google Books N-Gram Viewer, and it is fun!
I have to confess to not really understanding the fine mathematical detail behind the term "n-gram," but the resulting graphs simply show the frequency with which words occur within the Google Books database, over time. You can look when and how fast individual words spike and subside in popularity, as well as compare how different words fare against each other, in a reflection of larger linguistic and social changes.
The San Jose Mercury News rounds up some examples of Google Books N-Gram Viewer uses and findings, from detecting trends in censorship to the pace at which the past is being forgotten:
Trends in censorship can be identified through counts of names. For example, Jewish artist Marc Chagall was mentioned just once in the entire German body of literature from 1936 to 1944, even as his prominence in English-language books grew roughly fivefold. Similar suppression is seen in Russian with regard to Leon Trotsky; in Chinese with regard to Tiananmen Square; and in the U.S. with regard to the "Hollywood Ten," a group of entertainers blacklisted in 1947.
Books forget our past faster with each passing year. The Harvard-Google team tracked the frequency with which each year from 1875 to 1975 appeared and found that references to the past decrease much more rapidly now than in the 19th century. References to "1880" didn't fall by half until 1912—a lag of 32 years—but references to "1973" reached half their peak just a decade later, in 1983.
The Google's engineers and Harvard linguists behind the project have described their approach and the resulting insights as a new science of "culturomics," which they define as "the application of high-throughput data collection and analysis to the study of human culture." As an example the Ngram View landing page shows a pre-generated chart comparing "tofu" and "hot dog" occurrences in books published since 1920 (both increase, but tofu races past hot dog in the early 1980s).
Thus encouraged, I compared all sort of food words, to see what culturomics has to teach us about the American diet in print. The slideshow above is the tip of the iceberg—be warned that it is extremely addictive.
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
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.