Scientists Speak Out Against Wasting Helium In Balloons

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Scientists Speak Out Against Wasting Helium In Balloons

Posted by timothy on Sunday September 23, 2012 @12:24AM from the stop-thinking-of-the-children dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that Tom Welton, a professor of sustainable chemistry at Imperial College, London, believes that a global shortage of helium means it should be used more carefully — and since helium cools the large magnets inside MRI scanners it is wrong to use it for balloons used at children's parties. 'We're not going to run out of helium tomorrow — but on the 30 to 50 year timescale we will have serious problems of having to shut things down if we don't do something in the meantime,' says Welton. 'When you see that we're literally just letting it float into the air, and then out into space inside those helium balloons, it's just hugely frustrating. It is absolutely the wrong use of helium.' Two years ago, the shortage of helium prompted American Nobel Prize winner Robert Richardson to speak out about the huge amounts of helium wasted every day because the gas is kept artificially cheap by the U.S. government and to call for a dramatic increase in helium's price. But John Lee, chairman of the UK's Balloon Association, insists that the helium its members put into balloons is not depriving the medical profession of the gas. 'The helium we use is not pure,' says Lee. 'It's recycled from the gas which is used in the medical industry, and mixed with air. We call it balloon gas rather than helium for that reason.'"

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I have the answer by For+a+Free+Internet · 2012-09-23 00:26 · Score: 3, Funny

There is a lot of Helium in the Sun, so go to the Sun and get some and bring it back. Dear Laura: Wowza, you look great!

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1. Re:I have the answer by reboot246 · 2012-09-23 01:04 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  The sun is pretty bright and hot. We'd have to go there at night.
How to decide the fate of helium by cellocgw · 2012-09-23 00:30 · Score: 5, Funny

There may be a free-market solution. Let's float a trial balloon and see how everyone reacts.

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1. Re:How to decide the fate of helium by Opportunist · 2012-09-23 01:24 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  And what a lesson about the dangers of smoking it could teach our kids!
  
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  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
2. Re:How to decide the fate of helium by krammit · 2012-09-23 02:23 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Inflammable means flammable? What a country!
  
  --
  "Watch your cornhole, bud."
3. Re:How to decide the fate of helium by Jessified · 2012-09-23 02:56 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I think that hydrogen birthday balloons together with birthday candles would be a lot of fun.
4. Re:How to decide the fate of helium by flaming+error · 2012-09-23 03:37 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Damn straight.
  My dad was from a small town in the southwest founded by his ancestors, a town whose major industry was farming tumbleweeds, juniper, mesquite, and other naturally occurring firewoods and tinder. Fireworks were understandably illegal.
  Most residents were kinfolk in some way or another, including the town marshal, who, many years ago, not knowing us out-of-staters well, misguidedly invited us to his son's birthday party.
  Uncle Buzz was fairly skilled at extracting hydrogen from mixing household chemicals, and was pleased to offer his services in inflating a small flotilla of balloons for us. We saw no need to disclose to the good Marshal they were filled with gas less noble than Helium.
  Come time, we all sing happy birthday. Young Sam blows out the candles, and we lit the balloon strings and released the bundle.
  That kid's all grown up now, but he tells me he never had a better birthday present.
  We still haven't been invited back, though.
H! by opusman · 2012-09-23 00:32 · Score: 5, Funny

Using hydrogen for childrens' party balloons would solve the problem and make things potentially much more exciting!
1. Re:H! by Longjmp · 2012-09-23 00:39 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Especially if you mix hydrogen with oxygen at a ratio of 2:1
  
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  There are fewer illiterates than people who can't read.
2. Re:H! by slashdyke · 2012-09-23 00:39 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I would agree with that except for the question of how much more helium would be needed as a result of the parties? Balloon pops, bursts into fire, house burns down, people sent to hospital in need of medical attention... I think we need a study to anaylize just how many additional MRIs would be needed as a result, so we can determine if we would be saving helium in the long run. Anyone have a few hundred million to invest in such a worth study?
3. Re:H! by JustOK · 2012-09-23 00:50 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  di-hyrdrous monoxide? Do you know how many people that kills each day?
  
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  rewriting history since 2109
4. Re:H! by K.+S.+Kyosuke · 2012-09-23 01:13 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  There are approximately 160 000 deaths every day, if I'm not mistaken. In all of the bodies, significant quantities of DHMO were found. Do the math.
  
  --
  Ezekiel 23:20
5. Re:H! by mark_reh · 2012-09-23 01:16 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  You didn't read that post carefully. He didn't say BOOM. He said BOM. I have heard many hydrogen balloons exploding and they all said BOM!
"Simple" Solution by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-23 00:36 · Score: 4, Funny

Hurry up and get those fusion plants up and running!
"the gas is kept artificially cheap" by Fauntleroy · 2012-09-23 00:54 · Score: 2, Funny

So you're telling me that Helium prices are... inflated?
Tell my kids that, Tom! by adosch · 2012-09-23 01:06 · Score: 4, Funny

Balloons are every kid's enjoyment for birthdays, special event or talking like an oompa-loompa, fun-hater Tom Welton. Good luck explaining that Hellium is essential to MRI equipment because it's low boiling point and keep magnets cool to kids who just want a Mylar balloon that says "Happy Birthday".
I think we need to reevaluate what's wrong and focus research towards re-engineering MRI machines or use different mediums to cool these differently. I've seen this in the news for almost the last decade and if it's such a dilemma. What's that famous Albert Einsetin quote? "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
Re:So they can buy all the helium if they want it by Anonymous Coward · 2012-09-23 01:37 · Score: 4, Funny

My argument (second account, /. limits my comments on the first account)
Please take the hint.
Re:Where does it come from? by turkeyfeathers · 2012-09-23 01:37 · Score: 5, Funny

If comes from upsidasium mines in Frostbite Falls.
Re:So they can buy all the helium if they want it by Enter+the+Shoggoth · 2012-09-23 01:52 · Score: 5, Funny

...market forces are unstoppable, they are forces of nature...
Gravity, strong nuclear, weak nuclear, electromagnetic... nope no market in there... citation required.

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It's like a million voices all cried out... by MrKaos · 2012-09-23 02:21 · Score: 5, Funny

in a ridiculous helium voice saying "is this an inappropriate use of helium?"

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Wait wait wait! by Kaenneth · 2012-09-23 09:09 · Score: 3, Funny

Childrens party ballons are filled with MEDICAL WASTE?