I decided to dig into the helium shortage mess after seeing party balloon prices double. First thing I did was check my local party store – dude said they’ve had supply issues for months and can’t get tanks regularly anymore.
Research phase
Started Googling like crazy and found wild stuff:
- MRI machines need liquid helium to keep magnets cold
- Helium’s used in rocket engine testing and semiconductor manufacturing
- We can’t make more – it’s a non-renewable byproduct of natural gas
The scare moment
Called up my cousin who works at a hospital – she told me they’ve been rationing helium for MRIs since last year. That freaked me out cause my mom needed a scan recently.
Trying alternatives
Bought those “helium-free” floating balloons for my kid’s birthday. Total fail – they just hung there like sad rags. My kid cried, wife got pissed, whole thing was a disaster.
Crazy realization
Found out party balloons only use 6% of helium! Most goes to tech and medical stuff. Shortage means we might have to choose between MRI scans or iPhone chips someday soon.
Bottom line? This isn’t about balloons – it’s about our tech and healthcare systems running on empty. Told my neighbors and they were shocked too. Everyone thinks it’s just for party tricks but nope, we’re in deep trouble.