About Helium

What is helium and what makes it so unique?

  • Helium is an odorless, nontoxic, colorless, tasteless gas; it has a very low chemical reactivity and it is lighter than air. These characteristics are why helium plays a prominent role in space exploration, national defense, scientific research, medical technology, high-tech manufacturing and energy programs. Helium exists as a gas except under extreme conditions. At temperatures near absolute zero, helium is a liquid.

Where does helium come from?

  • Helium was first identified in 1868 by astronomers studying the sun. It is the second most common element in the universe, with only hydrogen being more abundant. Here on Earth, Helium is a non-renewable natural resource that is mostly recovered from natural gas deposits. It was first discovered on Earth in 1903 when an exploratory well drilled in Kansas produced a gas that “refused” to burn. Geologic conditions in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas make the natural gas in these areas some of the most helium rich in the world.

What is helium used for, and why is it a strategic natural resource?

A dive to survey deepwater fish communities at platforms off California. Photo courtesy of BOEM.
A dive to survey deepwater fish communities at platforms off California. Photo courtesy of BOEM.

Perhaps the most familiar use of helium is as a safe, non-flammable gas to fill party and parade balloons. However, helium is a critical component in many fields, including scientific research, medical technology, high-tech manufacturing, space exploration, and national defense.  Here are a few examples:

  • Liquid helium is used to cool down magnets in MRI machines that doctors use to examine people for cancer and other diseases. It is also used to make super-fast trains such as the Shinkansen train in Japan.
  • A mixture of 80% Helium-20% Oxygen mixtures is used for deep sea diving.
  • Helium filled blimps are used in border surveillance.
  • Helium is used in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation pumps during heart surgery
  • Helium is critical in rare document preservation (i.e. Declaration of Independence).
  • Helium is used as a leak detection agent for extremely small leaks since it won’t react with other gases due to its inert properties.
  • Helium-Neon lasers are used in eye surgery.

Fun Fact: Since helium is lighter and thinner than regular air, the sound travels to your ears faster, so it sounds different, as if you were a mouse or a chipmunk.