Consumers feeling the helium squeeze

[phantom power]

The second most plentiful element in the universe is suddenly in short supply on this planet, and that means soaring prices for a lot of things, balloons included.

"Some customers have told me they're just not going to sell balloons anymore because they can't get helium," said Chicago party wholesaler Lee Kaufman. "Everybody's scrambling."

(...)

demand for the gas has taken off in industry and scientific research in recent years, and the helium squeeze is being felt everywhere from university physics labs to plants in India, China, Taiwan and Korea that make today's hottest consumer products. Japanese helium suppliers recently warned customers in the electronics industry to prepare for supply cuts of up to 30 percent.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-helium05nov05,0,5841908.story

[eppur_se_muova]

1. It's a good thing we got rid of that pesky Strategic Helium Reserve!

:sarcasm:

http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/11561/

No one -- NO ONE! -- could have anticipated that this would lead to a helium shortage

[NNadir]

2. Almost all Helium released into the atmosphere boils off into space.

I've actually been worried about this one for a long time and I'm surprised it's taken this long to become current.

Most of the helium in the world is obtained from a few natural gas wells in Kansas, where it has accumulated after eons of (gasp) radioactive decay.

[phantom power]

3. They give helium balloons free to children at my local Trader Joes.

Maybe that's not the best use of this finite resource....