Peak Helium

Hell with oil & gas, we're about to run out of balloon fuel! Helium shortages are here due to decreased U.S. reserves (helium is usually found in natural gas reserves, as a byproduct of underground radioactive decays) and problems getting plants online overseas. Liquid helium is used to cool things close to absolute zero, and with huge increases in demand from the medical industry (it's used to cool magnets needed for MRI scanners), NASA using a tremendous amount to purge lines in the Space Shuttle systems, and the needs of low-temperature research, quotas are being put on users and budgets are de facto shrinking because an increasing percentage must be used for the helium.

The irony is that helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, formed both during the early universe and in stars.We can't easily liquefy the helium in the sun, however.

So lay off the balloons. Science needs the light elements more!