The volcano of the Tanzanian Rift Valley conceal a huge deposit of He , enough to detain by many years the date when humanity has to face a shortage of the wanted gas . The news will be a relievo to scientists whorely on atomic number 2 ’s cool down powersand medico dependent on the same properties to makeMRI machines run .
atomic number 2 is the second most common element in the creation . However , it is so light and nonreactive , we have long lost to space all the helium that formed with Earth . We can use it to make balloon orfunny voicesbecause fresh supply are shape byradioactive decaydeep underground and trapped in caverns of rock ‘n’ roll .
However , we are using He far quicker than it is being create , leading to fears that supplies will soon black market out . Liquid atomic number 2 is almost irreplaceable as a cooling mechanism for medical and scientific equipment , adequate to of reaching temperaturesfar belowthose that can be achieved with current practical alternatives .
The British Medical Association , among others , havecalled for restrictionson frivolous uses . If we were price the resource right , some fence , thecost of a child ’s balloon would be $ 100 .
Olesia Bilkei / Shutterstock
Unless we can scoop helium from the atmosphere of Jupiter , whose enormous gravitykeeps its heliumfrom escaping , we must finally face a reckoning . Nevertheless , that danger is now further off than some have revere , with the declaration at theGoldschmidt Conferencein Japan of a major depositary of helium beneath Tanzania .
Professor Chris Ballentineof Oxford University said in a argument : " By immix our understanding of He geochemistry with seismic images of gas immobilize structures , independent experts have calculate a probable resource of 54 Billion Cubic Feet ( BCf ) in just one part of the severance vale . This is around the size of it of 600,000 Olympic sized swimming pools with helium gas pedal . That ’s virtually seven times the full amount of helium consume globally every year and enough to fill over 1.2 million aesculapian MRI scanners when converted to limpid helium . ”
Seven year of current consumption provides some relief for those predicting we could run out in less than three decade . Nevertheless , with consumption rise , the trouble remains .
However , Helium One , the ship’s company that let out the deposit , think even adept news is around the nook . Ph.D. studentDiveena Danabalanof Durham Universitysaid : " We were able to show that volcanoes in the breach play an significant part in the formation of workable helium reserves . Volcanic body process in all probability provides the heat energy necessary to release the helium gather in ancient crustal rocks , but the location require to be just proper . If the gas traps are locate too tight to a give volcano , they go the danger of He being hard stretch by volcanic gas pedal such as atomic number 6 dioxide . "
Perhaps we do n’t necessitate to put those company balloon aside just yet . Still , please , for the love of turtles , do n’t relinquish them out of doors .
Scuba diving is safer when helium is motley with the O and nitrogen in the tank – another reason not to liquidate it . Rich Carey / Shutterstock .
