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ELI5 Helium - is there really a global shortage?

April 10, 2026·9 min

The episode begins with hosts Tim and Kevin introducing helium as the topic, noting its association with balloons and squeaky voices. They recount how astronomers Pierre Janssen and Norman Lockyer discovered helium on the sun during a solar eclipse in 1868, initially misidentifying it as sodium before recognizing it as a new element named after Helios. Helium wasn't isolated on Earth until 1895, creating a 27-year gap. The hosts then address the paradox of helium being the second most abundant element in the universe but rare on Earth, explaining that its lightness causes it to escape the atmosphere into space permanently. This leads to a discussion of helium's importance beyond party balloons, highlighting its role in MRI machines where liquid helium cools magnets to near-absolute zero for superconductivity. Other applications mentioned include deep-sea diving, rocket fuel, quantum computers, and semiconductor manufacturing. The episode explores why helium can't be easily manufactured, noting that nuclear fusion to produce it is too expensive. Instead, helium is naturally produced by the radioactive decay of elements like uranium and thorium over millions of years, with alpha particles being helium nuclei that get trapped in natural gas deposits. The hosts discuss the global helium shortage, attributing it partly to U.S. government policies where the National Helium Reserve sold helium at artificially low prices, discouraging private investment. They also cover weird physics, such as superfluid helium flowing against gravity and climbing walls due to zero viscosity at near-absolute zero temperatures. Finally, they warn about the dangers of inhaling helium, explaining it can cause fatal hypoxia by displacing oxygen in the lungs without triggering a choking reflex. The episode ends with a call for listener feedback and ratings.

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