Helium Set To Fly Away Within 30 Years

Posted by Bill Meeks on August 23rd, 2010

Forget peak oil, peak helium is set to upset children’s parties and squeaky voices by 2015.

Due to legislation passed in 1996, the United States reserves of helium must be sold off within the next five years, which has led to the lifting gas being criminally under-priced. According to Nobel laureate Robert Richardson:

The Earth is 4.7 billion years old and it has taken that long to accumulate our helium reserves, which we will dissipate in about 100 years. One generation does not have the right to determine availability for ever.

Unless we find another hidden reserve of the stuff, expect highly-flammable hydrogen balloons to replace helium once it runs out.

[New Zealand Hearld]

  • http://joshbulloc.com/default.aspx Josh Bulloc

    Maybe we could use the balloons to make flying hydrogen powered cars.

    Josh Bulloc
    Kansas City, MO

  • Anonymous

    So you’re saying I only have a limited time to use thousands of hellium filled balloons to fly my house to South America? Good to know. Good to know.

  • Jehova Solis

    wow! A PARTY with out ballons. FUN!