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| the scene in Up movie when the house flies to Paradise Falls |
When most of us think of helium, we think of party balloons. But the gas
– particularly in its liquid form – plays an important role in medical
imaging, electronics manufacturing, space exploration and nuclear
energy. And without it, those industries have few other options.
Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe after
hydrogen, but there's a finite amount of it here on planet Earth. As
Deryck Webb from the University of Alberta notes, it's a non-renewable
resource that can't be made artificially.
Indeed, some medical facilities are already feeling the pinch of helium shortages.
We need to remember that helium is not just a useless accessory to birthday parties, but something we all need to keep living. And while floating away in a house with tens of thousands of balloons attached to it may seem wildly exciting, we need to get our feet back on the ground. Helium isn't going to stay kids.
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