Losing Our Helium

THE BAD NESW IS, the Earth is losing its supply of helium, which is already in short supply. The good news is, it might not mater much, and we can probably get by without it. Still, you hate to see an entire chemical element vanish from the Earth. After all, there are only ninety How are we supposed to blow up balloons, and make our voices sound like Donald Duck? helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, comprising about twenty five percent of the matter in the cosmos. it forms in the interior of stars, like all the other elements, as hydrogen fuses into helium, then into heavier elements, as the process of nuclear fusion fills the void with electromagnetic energy, coming at us in both wave and particle form. Here on earth, the gravity simply isn't sufficient to hold down helium, since it does not bond with any other element, and always remains, in its normally gaseous state, lighter than air, lighter than gravity. were it not for its capacity to bond with oxygen, we'd out of luck with hydrogen too, but, since it does, not to worry. Helium has been seeping into space for billions of years, much like the entire atmosphere of Mars, once significant, did long ago. We still have some left, but we'd better hurry if we wish to preserve any for future generation. It is estimated than within a few million years, our helium supply will have gone away entirely, and we'll be bond dry. Helium is used primarily for science and industry; but for the purposes of our daily lives, we'll never know the difference, at least, that is, until your child wants to have a birthday party, with balloons, and all the trimmings.