What do you do with a radioactive wasteland? Get a little poetic justice out of the nuclear reactor disaster that created the hellscape and turn it into ground zero for a much different kind of alternative energy, naturally.
That’s the scheme Ukraine is shooting for in and around Chernobyl, the stricken site of the Soviet Union’s infamous 1986 disaster. In a debacle that helped turn public opinion in the Cold War-era US against the idea of power plants that could wipe out life for hundreds of years, fallout from a meltdown accident turned an area the size of Luxembourg into a toxic void.
But now all that could change—well, the void part, anyway. A proposal mailed around to some big financiers, including US investment companies, Canadian energy developers, and more obscure entities like the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, framed the plan as an idea whose time has finally come.
“There has been a change in the perception of the exclusion zone in Ukraine,” the proposal reads, referencing the almost 250,000-acre plot of land deemed hostile to human life; now, it’s possible to see new opportunities instead of old nightmares. Without running afoul of its own safety regulations, Ukraine can ramp up a solar panel field that’ll reap big dividends at a time when its energy reliance on the ultimate asshole neighbor, Russia, comes at an ever greater strategic and economic cost.
For all you geopolitics nerds out there, notice a sly bonus: going big on solar energy helps flatter the futuristic green ideals of the Western power brokers and money people Ukraine needs to get out from under Russia’s military shadow. It also helps change the way Westerners see the beleaguered country, seeding Western media with cool, sympathetic writeups… like this one.
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.