What’s Helium?

Helium is a stable, non-reactive gas with many uses, including as a lifting agent for balloons and a supercoolant in scientific experiments. It was discovered in 1868 and is extracted from natural gas. While non-toxic, excessive inhalation can be dangerous. Helium is a chemical element found in great abundance throughout the universe, although it is […]

Is helium valuable?

Chemistry professor David Cole-Hamilton warns of a shortage of helium, essential for MRI scanners and other applications, due to a lack of recycling. He urges people to avoid helium-filled balloons to prevent supplies running out within a decade. Helium cannot be produced on Earth and is created through the radioactive decay of elements in rocks. […]

Unique discovery of helium?

In 1868, Lockyer and Janssen noticed a yellow emission during a solar eclipse and discovered helium using a spectroscope. Helium is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, the second most abundant element in the universe, and is harvested from natural gas fields. Breathing in helium makes your voice sound higher because it increases the speed […]

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