In the Grim Darkness of the Far Future There Are No Helium Balloons: Experts Call for Ban on Helium - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Madman_Andre;38790142]All the Helium in the earth right now is produced from beta decay of radioactive elements in the earth's interior. It's a by-product of natural gas production because helium likes to collect in useful quantities inside pockets of natural gas. So i doubt the veracity of this, because as long as the earth is hot we're going to have a steady supply of the stuff, or at least as long as we're pulling NatGas from the ground.[/QUOTE] Crude Oil is naturally occurring and renewable by that definition. Technically true, but not at the rate it's being consumed at.

[QUOTE=Kinversulath;38788984]Well what else are we going to use? Hydrogen? Because I don't think we should have kids hauling mini-Hindenburgs around :v:[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster#Cause_of_ignition[/url] it's not the hydrogen's fault

[img]http://www.logancountychamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/up-edit1.jpg[/img] This motherfucker

[QUOTE=ButtsexV3;38798609][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster#Cause_of_ignition[/url] it's not the hydrogen's fault[/QUOTE] It sure wouldn't have been as big a disaster if it was filled with helium, though. [QUOTE=noobcake;38798267]he thinks methane is helium :v:[/QUOTE] To be fair, I could see some (broken) logic leading to why he'd think that. Helium is found with natural gas, natural gas is basically methane, cows fart out methane.

Sorry, It's just been so long since i've thought about natural gasses and I got them confused.

[QUOTE=farmatyr;38790000]Can we not extract helium from fusion reactors in the future?[/QUOTE] That's a fantastic idea! Do you have a fusion reactor by chance? [editline]12th December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=ButtsexV3;38798609][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindenburg_disaster#Cause_of_ignition[/url] it's not the hydrogen's fault[/QUOTE] It was because of the material the blimp was made of and the gas it was filled with.

The helium shortage is a load of bullshit. America is effectively the only producer of helium in the world, and our politicians have been selling it very responsibly for years. The issue isn't as much one with supply as it is one with our politicians. [editline]12th December 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Squad;38798365]Actually some danger is in running out of CHEAP helium. It is INCREDIBLY expensive to try and extract from rocks and what not. I have been saying this for years. [/QUOTE] It's not expensive at all actually, it's found when pulling up natural gas in fairly significant quantities

[QUOTE=Primigenes;38810830]Wait, why were we using a nonrenewable resource in party balloons anyway? Like no one up there who took chemistry thought this was a bad idea?[/QUOTE] Capitalism doesn't care for those details.

Balloons just get fucking popped anyways. Nobody cares to leave them alone nowadays. Nobody has come up with a practical alternative though. Sometimes I get so frustrated over society using non-renewable resources. We really are our own worse enemies.

[QUOTE=Bad)-(and;38792155]if they ban it's use in balloons, then what the hell am i going to use to amuse myself at parties when im blind drunk?[/QUOTE] Sulfur hexafluoride?

[QUOTE=SNNS-SEAN;38811508]Sulfur hexafluoride?[/QUOTE] yeah you're right, having balloons that FALL seems like a fun time, right

[QUOTE=No Party Hats;38812166]yeah you're right, having balloons that FALL seems like a fun time, right[/QUOTE] But you can breathe it in and sound hilarious!

We'll just use lithium, the next lightest element! :v: [editline]12th December 2012[/editline] lithium vapor, that is

wasnt the scarcity of helium why the hindenburg used hydrogen in the first place?

Fusion reactors create helium! It's a pity that's already been studied and there's not nearly enough production possible to supply current demands, even if we did ban party balloons.

[QUOTE=abcpea2;38812695]wasnt the scarcity of helium why the hindenburg used hydrogen in the first place?[/QUOTE] That was because the US had a monopoly on helium.

Anyone come up with and idea of what we do when we run out, whether we've used them in balloons or not?