Is there a helium shortage?

Despite being the second most abundant element in the universe, helium is in short supply on Earth—so much so that scientists are warning of a crisis. The reason? Helium is too light to stay in our atmosphere, escaping into space, and the only viable source is underground, trapped as a byproduct of natural gas extraction. With only 14 global facilities refining helium and the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve in Amarillo, Texas—the so-called 'Helium Valley'—serving as a critical hub, supply is fragile. Recent geopolitical disruptions, like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, threaten global helium flow, endangering life-saving MRI and NMR machines. The episode reveals a dark irony: we use helium for frivolous purposes like party balloons, while scientists face salary cuts to afford it. One time capsule in Amarillo even warns future generations that if we run out of natural resources, there may be no one left to open it. The episode is dedicated to Melissa’s mother, Alice, a lifelong learner and hand therapist whose curiosity inspired the podcast—and whose passing underscores the urgency to value knowledge, science, and time with loved ones.