The Looming World Shortage of Helium

Presenter: Robert Richardson

Published: July 2014

Age: 18-22 and upwards

Views: 648 views

Tags: helium;shortage

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: Lindau-Nobel

The worldÍs supply of Helium gas comes primarily from alpha decay in rocks. The most abundant supply is in the American Southwest where it is trapped with methane is natural gas wells. That supply is estimated to last a mere 25 years. It took 4.7 billion years for the earth to manufacture the helium. It will be squandered is 150 years since its discovery.