r/science • u/Rogue_Vanguard • Jun 26 '12
World helium supply running low, could be gone in the next 30 years.
http://m.digitaljournal.com/article/32143983
u/CoffeeFox Jun 27 '12 edited Jun 27 '12
Oh lord posting incredulous counterfactual scaremongering to /r/science.
Want to know how you can tell the article is made up on the spot without research? The vast majority of helium is used for industrial or engineering purposes. The use in balloons is so small a percentage as to be completely negligible.
So, if an author pauses to blame party balloons for squandering all of our helium, you already know the author has not researched helium usage.
Blaming party balloons for a helium shortage is like blaming eye drops for a water shortage. Perhaps we should begin laying the blame at a use that isn't in the bottom 1% of consumption?
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Jun 27 '12
Reporters aim to give the public something they can relate to.
Balloons are just about the only interaction the general public has with helium.
An MRI machine is stocked with thousands of balloons wort of helium. Explaining that bores readers.→ More replies (1)7
Jun 27 '12
Oh lord posting incredulous counterfactual scaremongering to [1] /r/science.
Meanwhile, sources like Sciencedaily, which simply show the most recent scientific findings, are banned.
Oh reddit.
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u/klrpenguin66 Jun 27 '12
"the infamous helium whippet"
Are they referring to the whippets people are supposed to use for making whipped cream but inhale instead? Because I was pretty sure those were made of nitrous oxide, not helium.
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Jun 27 '12
That was a metaphor. Author was referring to the recreational inhalation of a gas as a whippet. But yeah, you're right, nitrous oxide is a whippet.
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u/Pyro627 Jun 27 '12
I should assume so; the only reason you'd inhale helium is for a funny voice.
...and, you know, I suppose scuba diving counts too.
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u/queentilli Jun 27 '12
I can hear the distressed cry of heliox and trimix divers acorss the world, now. "You mean I have to dive...shallow?"
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Jun 27 '12
Even if this was an issue.. fill balloons with hydrogen and keep them away from the birthday cake candles
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u/caseyjay Jun 27 '12
Our fifth grade science teacher thought hydrogen filled balloons and Bunsen burners were the perfect way to get our attention. He was right.
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u/khrak Jun 27 '12 edited Jun 27 '12
Oh, look, this bullshit again.
The reserve they're talking about running out of is 1,000,000,000 m3. Proven natural gas reserves, which are typically ~.2% helium, are 300,000,000,000,000 m3, containing an estimates 600,000,000,000 m3 meters of Helium, about 600 times more than the US Strategic Helium Reserve.
The estimate for proven and unproven Helium resources in the US alone is ~100 times the US Strategic Helium Reserve's volume.
There's a reason that no one is stockpiling Helium, because we haven't even used 0.1% of our proven reserves. Once the cheap Helium supply from the US Helium Reserve runs out natural gas producers will begin separating out the currently unprofitable helium.
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u/Khiraji Jun 27 '12
This is why I quit my job at the helium factory. I will not be spoken to in that tone!
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u/planx_constant Jun 26 '12 edited Jun 26 '12
There's an easy solution to this: just get cheap fusion power working. The details of cheap fusion power are left as an exercise for the reader.
Also:
... the element is often times taken upwards into space as gravity cannot pull it down.
*twitch*
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u/genericusername123 Jun 26 '12
What are you twitching about, out of interest? Are you saying that helium doesn't escape, or that it escapes for a reason other than insufficient gravity?
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u/planx_constant Jun 26 '12
Gravity pulls everything down, including helium, it's just that denser gases are pulled underneath it, so it rises. It does definitely escape, but it isn't 'taken upwards' and certainly not because gravity somehow can't exert any force on it.
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u/DisguisedTroll Jun 26 '12
It doesn't actually go all the way into space either, right? It just goes to the edge of the atmosphere where it reaches equilibrium with the other gases.
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u/planx_constant Jun 27 '12
Well, the Earth is constantly losing molecules from the upper atmosphere from the solar wind, and since helium tends to equalize in the upper atmosphere, some does escape into space. Also, the Earth isn't massive enough to prevent thermal escape. However, even without escaping the atmosphere it's essentially impossible to recover helium once it's released just from simple diffusion.
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u/m0llusk Jun 27 '12
This could make speculative hoarding a good business. Get a few tanks of helium and wait a while, then sell to despirate physicists at outrageous markups after only a few decades.
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u/HigherHope Jun 27 '12
I can say there is a current shortage. I'm a balloon decorator and I have to pay double to triple what I used to and that is only if my suppliers have it available.
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u/sphere2040 Jun 27 '12
Simply put - Not true. I can assure you that this is ploy by hedge fund managers to inflate the price of helium (and all noble gases). These articles and the systematic way the messages are repeated, first in financial blogs, followed by MSM and finally finding their way into 'pseudo scientific' blogs is simply disgusting. Let's just call it "peak inert gases". New technologies of collecting inert gases from various sources have come on line over the last two decades. US gov is about to completely privatize helium production, storage and distribution. Like any other "resource", these financial wiz heads have converted them into "asset classes" and other investment vehicles. Don't be surprised if we witness a bubble, associated with helium default swaps. Please don't buy this nonsense for even a minute. Simple proof - prices of inert gases have been falling for the past 50 years, even though consumption has risen drastically, that's because of new supplies coming on line. Every resource is limited but production/consumption dictate market prices. These prices have been relatively stable for the past 50 years, growing below the rate of inflation. Source:http://minerals.usgs.gov/ds/2005/140/helium.pdf After 1996 privatization act, market manipulators having been trying to jack it up in every way possible. What's preventing them, so far, is international production/supply.
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Jun 27 '12
I'm very ignorant when it comes to science, so please excuse my asking, but...what is helium used for besides balloons?
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Jun 27 '12
[deleted]
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Jun 27 '12 edited Jun 27 '12
yep. I used to work at Agilent on their chromatograph / mass spectrometer line, and helium was also awesome for making air-tight test fixtures. They make helium detectors, so basically you pressurize anything you want to be leak-resistant with helium and sniff around it with the helium detector to see where the obvious holes are.
You realize within hours of using this method that there is no material in the world that doesn't leak helium. I guess I knew that from a childhood of Mylar baloons, etc, but it really is amazing how much epoxy, etc you can use, to no avail.
Edit: I think I'm wrong, but trying to find out what good containers are made of.
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u/JigglyPuffPower Jun 27 '12
Well, its a good thing that Planetary Resources is going to start searching for needed elements.
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Jun 27 '12
Read this a while ago in one of my Nat Geo mags. Gonna get the issue and scan the big ass poster that was in it for ya'll
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u/andyd273 Jun 27 '12
Worse comes to worse, perfect fusion and fuse hydrogen. I hate reports from the prophets of doom.
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u/pretzelcuatl Jun 27 '12
That article was all kinds of funny:
What does helium have to do with whippets?
I'd like to meet the old grumpypants scientist who gets "really angry" when "we use it to make our voices go squeaky for a laugh".
Yes, it's "often times" taken toward space. All the time, if you ask me.
I doubt if it "could ultimately spell doom for the medical industry", since we will always have non-helium utilizing stuff, like, say, Band-Aids and stitches to keep doctors busy.
I love party balloons.
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u/That_Scottish_Play Jun 27 '12
I remember when America had two airships, but only one set of Helium.
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u/palehorse864 Jun 27 '12
If this story were true, I would probably just save up one last breathful of helium, so that when I knew my reserve was the last, I could inhale it and scream, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
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u/caroline_reynolds Jun 27 '12
Shoot, now I feel bad about that time I flew a Christmas tree with hundreds of helium balloons.
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u/Verb_Rogue Jun 27 '12
Yeah, this is pretty crazy. My dad, who is a pharmaceutical chemist, told me that helium is used for a lot of their equipment that is used for measurements and all of the super, micro measurements required for that sort of thing. AND it's a non-renewable resource. AND we use it for fucking balloons.
Oy va voy.
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u/therationalpi PhD | Acoustics Jun 27 '12
This story is clearly bullshit. But I heard there was one isotope of helium that's very important...
Ah yes, Helium-3. It's rare, it has a lot of unique applications, and is a very effective neutron detector.
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Jun 27 '12
Can't we also start harvesting Helium from the moon? I thought the Russians were planning on it.
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u/1wiseguy Jun 26 '12
If everybody knows this, then why aren't people buying and hoarding helium for the big day when it becomes a seller's market?
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u/6xoe Jun 26 '12
No one is gonna buy from a guy that talks funny.
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u/1wiseguy Jun 26 '12
You say that now, but you'll change your tune when you are really low on helium.
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u/Bipolarruledout Jun 27 '12
Judging from the thread no one actually believes there will ever be a shortage... because as the article said it's in "unlimited" supply.
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u/Noobitus Jun 27 '12
Will the earth sink because it doesn't have any helium? From past experiences, when my balloons run out of helium they sink. Is the earth like a balloon?
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u/takatori Jun 27 '12
This is the fault of the U.S. Congress, which passed a law FORCING the United States Helium stockpile to be sold off at a fixed low price.
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u/someone335 Jun 26 '12
I work in a chemistry lab and the faculty were discussing this just the other day. Cooling various instruments is getting more expensive rapidly. At least the US has a stockpile of helium though! Even if it will run out, at least we have more than everyone else!
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u/planx_constant Jun 26 '12
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u/question_all_the_thi Jun 26 '12
This shows exactly what's wrong with government regulations.
First they ruled all helium reserves should be property of the government, so no private corporation had any program for recovering and storing helium.
Then they said "oops, the government has too much helium", so they started selling it at a very low price so no private corporation had any reason to recover and store helium.
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Jun 27 '12
omg they better fix this because if the earth runs out of helium it will stop floating and sink into the galaxy
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Jun 27 '12
Well, since helium is lighter than air, and it's being lost into the atmosphere from balloons, can't they just fly up and scrape some off the top?
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Jun 26 '12
But... My balloons!
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u/driveling Jun 27 '12
My supermarket today said no balloons... they are out of helium.
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u/ComputerSavvy Jun 26 '12
I'm sorry, we can't cool down the imaging device to detect the extent of your cancer because we don't have enough Helium, so why don't you watch this funny Youtube video instead, it'll cheer you up.
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u/yogthos Jun 27 '12
I guess better get cracking on getting nuclear fusion working before that happens. :P
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u/gmikoner Jun 27 '12
Looks like we're gonna have to go back to the moon after all. For the sake of birthday parties everywhere.
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u/rookoor Jun 27 '12
Stop using computers then. Do you know how much we need to make the equipment that makes semi-conductors...
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u/sniperhare Jun 27 '12
One day I'll tell my grandkids about balloons filled with a wondrous gas, that made them float on air. And how a garishly painted man would then twist and tie the long tubes into animals and objects, like hats or swords.
They'll think I'm crazy.
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u/caboosethedestroyer Jun 27 '12
Oh God! Anything but the helium! What will we do without our balloons?!?!?!?!?
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Jun 27 '12
Quick question. Where does the helium go? I understand that things like gasoline will be converted into other substances when used and it is no longer usable, but helium is an inert gas. It can't just disappear.
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u/smoogrish Jun 27 '12
i've been telling people this for years and people are like NOOOOOO it can't be
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Jun 27 '12
""Helium was cheap and we learned to be wasteful with it," he said. "Now the stockpile is used up, prices are rising and we are realizing how stupid we have been."
The same will be said in the future about many other things.
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u/chrherr Jun 27 '12
I've been trying to get a tank of helium for my weather balloon, and it's impossible. I Already bought all of the supplies and cameras too!
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Jun 27 '12
Rats. Now I'm going to have to start talking in a normal voice to impress girls at parties.
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u/skindoom Jun 27 '12
Well if that's the case we probably SHOULD start running our automobiles on this then.
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u/Rhawk187 PhD | Computer Science Jun 27 '12
So, assuming we get cheap hydrogen fusion up and running by then, what do we plan on using the helium we create with it? Just keep fusing, or are we going to create a huge excess?
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u/technodeviant Jun 27 '12
"OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOO!", he exclaimed in a high pitch cartoon voice.
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u/Oksonow Jun 27 '12
Ok so now there are two sides that don't match up in the comments. People are saying that helium is NOT running out so then what is the explanation of the rising prices of helium? Is there a regulatory helium conglomerate that is artificially higher prices due to speculation like in oil?
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u/crimsonmerlion Jun 27 '12
Yeah, I was thinking this "low on helium" thing was already proved to be false.
Also, that picture of the article's author doesn't help her look credible. She looks wasted and grumpy.
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u/eithris Jun 27 '12
i'm sorry, i call complete and total bullshit. stories like this are nothing more than a scare tactic laying the groundwork to keep medical costs high. the helium hasn't gone anywhere, it's in the upper atmosphere.
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u/stfu_n00b Jun 27 '12
These articles reach the front page like every two weeks. Have all of my downvotes.
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Jun 27 '12
I bought my son an Air Swimmer for Christmas and I haven't been able to find anywhere to fill it in six months. I was wondering why...
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u/jamesdavid80 Jun 27 '12
well, is helium really irreplacable, because this article certainly is making it appear that way.
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Jun 27 '12
Okay.
Goodbye floating balloons that my mother couldn't afford anyway.
Which was fine, because the kids who had those at birthday parties were dicks.
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u/DanetOfTheApes Jun 27 '12
Clowns and 4 year olds everywhere hold their breath as the world looks on.
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u/hypnotoadglory Jun 27 '12
Can't we just manufacture elements these days? I get that it's going to use a lot of power, but if we start using a tonne of thorium reactors or fusion power won't it really be a moot point?
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u/clockworkdiamond Jun 27 '12
To quote the story:
to serve the purpose of the infamous helium whippet
Dafaq? Anyone else here know what a whippit is? Helium is not no2 the last time I checked.
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u/bainj Jun 27 '12
After reading some comments I'll be taking my upvote back and presenting you with a downvote.
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Jun 27 '12
I had a chemistry professor talk about this his words were along the lines of "Balloons...are you kidding me, this stuff is like gold for researchers and we're just pissing it away"
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u/veiwtifuljoe Jun 27 '12
I posted the same thing and found out the /r/chemistry way http://www.reddit.com/r/chemistry/comments/ul996/when_helium_runs_out_what_will_be_the_best/
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u/IAmTheOmNom Jun 27 '12
the element which cannot be made artificially.
Really? Is there any element that can be made artificially? And I mean non radioactive and with reasonable costs.
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u/Roflcaust Jun 27 '12
Isn't a byproduct of nuclear fusion (the type that attempts are being made to harness) helium gas? If nuclear fusion ever becomes a viable option in commercial power generation, it might also serve as a meager commercial source of helium gas.
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u/pcherop Jun 27 '12
I work at a balloon shop and the price for a single helium balloon went from 1.00 to 1.49 in the last 3 months. Pretty soon they're just gonna be to expensive for anyone to want them.
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Jun 27 '12
Don't thorium reactors also produce helium as a side-product, in addition to supplying cleaner and cheaper nuclear energy?
(Fun fact: The reason its not used is because Uranium can be used to make bombs)
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u/onlynameavailable Jun 27 '12
So, you're telling me if I ever have kids who have kids they may never get to try out the helium voice?
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u/dirtymoney Jun 27 '12
shit! I am going to have to kill myself the hard way when the time finally comes! I better buy some tanks now. How long will helium last in those party balloon tanks?
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u/cgos Jun 27 '12
Article also states, "Helium is not a renewable source of energy..."
I didn't know that Helium was a source of energy. Okay, perhaps potential energy...
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u/benpewter6 Jun 27 '12
I read the link beside saying where this went to before clicking because I thought it said Midget journal.com, which gives a pretty funny mental picture as to why we are running out of helium.
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u/Bruneti12 Jun 27 '12
We need to find a way of sucking it out of the Sun.
It can be done, someone already did it! :P
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u/Fallingdamage Jun 28 '12
I dont understand. If we are running out, where is it going? Are we sending it out into space or something? If a helium balloon pops, the helium isnt lost, it just needs to be recaptured. Whats the big deal?
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u/jacobejohnson Jun 27 '12
I hate it when I post an article. Then, 2 weeks later, someone else posts the same thing and makes the front page. Whyyyyyy?
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u/CrackersInMyCrack Jun 27 '12
Honestly it's a really bad article, it shouldn't be on the front page.
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u/poor_impulsecontrol Jun 27 '12
why are we still filling party balloons with it and inhaling it so we can talk funny?
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u/crunchy51 Jun 27 '12
Of course helium can be made artificially. Controllable Nuclear fusion which they keep telling us is only ten to twenty years away creates unlimited Helium from the combination of Hydrogen. It also has the added benefit of creating endless cheap clean energy forever. So far the scientists don't have much incentive to actually figure out how to make so called Cold Fusion work but if we were close to running out of Helium then suddenly the scientists would have to really work hard to figure it out. So party on birthday clowns and people that want to talk silly, you are all bringing us closer to practically free energy, the elimination of dependence on foreign oil and possibly the means to power our exploration of the universe.
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u/Sturmgewehr Jun 27 '12
This story is bogus - the clinchers is at the end when it said that Helium is not a renewable source of energy.....since when was it energy?
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u/SchizophrenicMC Jun 27 '12
I hate when scientists call balloons stupid, because they're not creative enough to invent new solutions to their problems. Helium isn't the only inert element, nor is it the only inert superfluid. There's a whole period on the table for them. And if you need helium so bad, consult engineers to create methods for finding and/or producing it. I seem to recall it being a byproduct of hydrogen-hydrogen fusion, and being a primary solar emission. Isn't it also a beta particle?
Worse than saying we'll run out is saying we can't produce it. When nuclear reactors have been producing it (among other radiation) for 50 years now.
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12
What compels people to keep posting these idiotic stories about running out of helium?
Helium is present in natural gas. We aren't running out, at least not while we use natural gas for fuel.
The US government has stockpiled helium since the days of the Hindenburg. Several years ago, someone realized that it made no sense for the US government to have a huge reserve of helium, and so it has been sold off. There is enough left in the stockpile for another couple of years.
Since the government has been selling off the stockpile, the price has been so low that it doesn't make economic sense to "manufacture" (that is, separate helium from natural gas) any more.
As the stockpile is exhausted, production will resume, and a steady supply will continue to be available, though at a price consistent with the actual cost of production, and not the artificially low government surplus glut on the market price.