IHF Alert: Time to Start Hoarding Helium

Robert Richardson won the Nobel prize in 1996 for his work on helium, and now he's predicting a helium crisis. The US government will sell off half-of the worlds supply by 2015, and the balance might be used up in as early as 25 years, he says. The US government began supplying the bulk of the world's helium, around 80%, at cut rate prices after an act in 1996 mandated the sell off of its strategic reserve. Source: DARPA / New Scientist So what should we do? Via New Scientist:

Get out of the business and let the free market prevail. The consequence will be a rise in prices. Unfortunately, party balloons will be $100 each rather than $3 but we'll have to live with that. We will have to live with those prices eventually anyway.

So, tie those party balloons to your wrists people, and strap those weather balloons to the ground. They might be worth real money someday. It's time to start hoarding!