tk102 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080102093943.htm ScienceDaily (Jan. 5, 2008) — In America, helium is running out of gas. The element that lifts things like balloons, spirits and voice ranges is being depleted so rapidly in the world's largest reserve, outside of Amarillo, Texas, that supplies are expected to be depleted there within the next eight years...."Helium is non-renewable and irreplaceable. Its properties are unique and unlike hydrocarbon fuels (natural gas or oil), there are no biosynthetic ways to make an alternative to helium. All should make better efforts to recycle it." As if we didn't have enough resources to worry about, add helium to the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Sitherino Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 ... But... ;_; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 So we won't be making any more flyable balloons anymore, how sad. Really now, there's already not much helium reserves on Earth and we don't have real useful ends for it, so I won't be bothered by this as much as I worry about oil running out. Besides, it's the kind of resource that the space is plenty of: Gas Giants, for example. Hell, helium was first found on the sun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 What exactly do we do with Helium? I mean, I'll miss the Goodyear Blimp, but other than that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ-W4 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 What exactly do we do with Helium? I mean, I'll miss the Goodyear Blimp, but other than that...Look here under 'Applications'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue Nine Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 What exactly do we do with Helium? I mean, I'll miss the Goodyear Blimp, but other than that... From the article tk linked: Helium plays a role in nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, welding, fiber optics and computer microchip production, among other technological applications. NASA uses large amounts annually to pressurize space shuttle fuel tanks. Besides, it's the kind of resource that the space is plenty of: Gas Giants, for example. Hell, helium was first found on the sun! K, so how do you propose we obtain all that wonderful helium? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 What exactly do we do with Helium? I mean, I'll miss the Goodyear Blimp, but other than that...Why, we can always use Hydrogen to fly the blimp. According to a retired NASA engineer Hydrogen was not to blame for the Hindenbugh Disaster. Who wants to be the first to take a ride? Hydrogen would work great at kids birthday parties, it would give a whole new meaning to blowing out the candles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinthian Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I like the sound of that, Mimartin. So, uh, Ctrl, tell me when you devise some means of drawing Helium out of the Sun or out of Jupiter. Hopefully, you can get it done before the 23rd Century. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 K, so how do you propose we obtain all that wonderful helium? Ah, chemistry. Helium got more than fair substitutes on spacefaring crazy talk. As mimartin pointed out, we could use Hydrogen, for instance. Besides, if it was of this utmost importance, then we wouldn't be wasting it on balloons, would we? Anyways, it's not our fault that the world is running out of helium, well, not the same kind of fault of other natural and vital resources. There has always been a small reserve of the gas on Earth. So, uh, Ctrl, tell me when you devise some means of drawing Helium out of the Sun or out of Jupiter. Hopefully, you can get it done before the 23rd Century. We don't. It's not worth the effort, unless helium-3 becomes as important to us as on Mass Effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue Nine Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 You can't interchange hydrogen for helium just like that. They're two different elements and things that work for helium will not (and often don't) work for hydrogen. The article tk links outlines why exactly we need helium. And it is definitely our fault that we're running out of helium, I don't know where you get off on saying that we're not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 You can't interchange hydrogen for helium just like that. They're two different elements and things that work for helium will not (and often don't) work for hydrogen. The article tk links outlines why exactly we need helium. Mimartin was referring to space ships fuel, and on that matter, hydrogen can be a matching substitute. As for the other uses, I don't think there's something we can't adapt to. And it is definitely our fault that we're running out of helium, I don't know where you get off on saying that we're not. Of course it is, but, and let's refer to my previous post: [...]not the same kind of fault of other natural and vital resources. There has always been a small reserve of the gas on Earth. if we're going to depend on a gas for all that we're certainly screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue Nine Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 So just because it's a resource we have less of makes us less accountable for its depletion? I'm sorry, but that just doesn't make sense to me. If anything, it makes us more accountable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tk102 Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 Ah, chemistry. Helium got more than fair substitutes on spacefaring crazy talk. As mimartin pointed out, we could use Hydrogen, for instance.Except for the fact that they are very light gases, their properties are dynamically different. Besides, if it was of this utmost importance, then we wouldn't be wasting it on balloons, would we?I doubt people will want to spend $10 on a single helium balloon if we have to start importing all our helium from Russia. Anyways, it's not our fault that the world is running out of helium, well, not the same kind of fault of other natural and vital resources.Actually it is. When mining for natural gas, helium and nitrogen are removed. Don't know if you read the article or not. "Helium plays second fiddle to marketing oil and natural gas, and much of it is lost in a process that removes noncombustible nitrogen and helium from the product of prime interest." Eventually when the supplies drive the demand up high enough, industry will take notice and make better attempts to capture and market the helium. "The price of liquid helium is about $5 per liter, having gone up more than 50 percent over the past year..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimartin Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 As mimartin pointed out, we could use Hydrogen, for instance. Sorry, but I was trying to make a joke. Hydrogen is highly flammable there are a lot of application I would not condone its use in, even when they are interchangeable. Especially kids balloons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We must put one thing on our minds: If we continually use a finite resource, then it's bound to deplete. Will we cease to explore the resources then? Helium plays a role in nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy, welding, fiber optics and computer microchip production, among other technological applications. NASA uses large amounts annually to pressurize space shuttle fuel tanks. Will we rather try using the remains of helium on those things rather than start looking for a replacement ASAP? If possible, non-pollutant, recyclable and abundant. I doubt people will want to spend $10 on a single helium balloon if we have to start importing all our helium from Russia. Point is: There's nothing as futile to use a nearly depleted resource than that. That, and wasting oil on races of any kind (Even though it's more enjoyable than balloons ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogue Nine Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 We must put one thing on our minds: If we continually use a finite resource, then it's bound to deplete. Will we cease to explore the resources then? Right, and even with that on our minds, we have continued to deplete resources at an alarming rate. So once again, I do not know where you get off with stating that: Anyways, it's not our fault that the world is running out of helium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Sitherino Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Mimartin was referring to space ships fuel Right, pressurizing the fuel tanks. Nothing to do with the fuel itself, it's making sure the tanks can hold the fuel. I don't think Hydrogen can so easily replace helium at this job, as I'm pretty sure they chose helium for a reason. Of course it is, but, and let's refer to my previous post: if we're going to depend on a gas for all that we're certainly screwed. Uh, that still doesn't justify your comment of "It's not our fault helium is depleted.". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Right, and even with that on our minds, we have continued to deplete resources at an alarming rate. So once again, I do not know where you get off with stating that: I was actually being ironic there. Surely we wouldn't stop using resources - even knowing they're limited. Uh, that still doesn't justify your comment of "It's not our fault helium is depleted.". That sentence is actually more a problem than it's worth. Let me redo it: It is our fault that helium is running low. However, we never exactly had an abundance of it, and we needed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Jones Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Hell, helium was first found on the sun!Not all suns/stars produce helium. Only those that "burn" hydrogen through nuclear fusion to helium. Granted, there are many stars, but...there are also like 100+ elements in the periodic system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ctrl Alt Del Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Allow me to put the article at check. According to Concepts and models of inorganic chemistry, by Bodie Douglas, Darl McDaniel and John Alexander, there's still much helium on earth. Either from the atmosphere: The earth's atmosphere contains about 5ppm He, but it would be very expensive to recover this He. Or from the same mineral the article talks about: Helium can be obtained now at low cost from helium-rich gas, and the potential supply far exceeds the demand. The book does, however, corroborates the idea that pure helium will run out soon. (Helium) occur almost entirely on the southwestern US, account for the world present production of He. They will be depleted on a few decades. Still, it would be a matter of refining the helium-rich gas or getting it directly from the atmosphere. Right, pressurizing the fuel tanks. Nothing to do with the fuel itself, it's making sure the tanks can hold the fuel. According to this: pressurizing liquid fuel rockets it does pressurize the fuel itself as well. as I'm pretty sure they chose helium for a reason. They sure did. As a noble gas, it's chemically static, able to generate the much needed cooling environments. It's the best choice, but that don't mean that there aren't others out there. About this, I would like to correct myself. Mimartin may have joked about using Hydrogen, and he's right, even if I have stated otherwise, it's just not wise to use it as a cooler . Still, there are plenty of other noble, static gases out there. Not all suns/stars produce helium. Only those that "burn" hydrogen through nuclear fusion to helium. Granted, there are many stars, but...there are also like 100+ elements in the periodic system. I meant our sun... Sol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrPhil2501 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I don't think we'll need helium that much, as we have no better uses for it. I mean, this is what happens when we take a huge overdose: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6voJ1sgY_0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
True_Avery Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 The beginning of the end for humanity! 6 billion people and we wonder why stuff seems to disapear. Wonder which element will go next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoiuyWired Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Because helium alone is less dense than atmospheric air, it will change the timbre (not pitch) of a person's voice when inhaled. -wiki Seems like this is an extremely useful thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus Q'ol Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Wonder which element will go next. Once the ozone blanket finally dissolves, there'll be no way to hold in our atmosphere, so, there goes our O2 and hydrogen and the rest of our blue sky. Once the magnetic field surrounding and protecting our planet switches off or shifts in 2012, it won't matter anymore anyway. We'll all have a great tan. ...according to the Mayans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommycat Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Some applications they currently use He they could substitute Nitrogen. Some applications they could substitute H. I'm sorry, but if it's so darned important of a gas, I just wouldn't see it being used in party baloons. Besides using hydrogen in the baloons would be so much more fun with that birthday cake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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