Helium is in short supply, hitting balloons and scientific research

• Helium gas prices jumped 135 percent on-year in a 2018 U.S. government auction.
• The helium price surge has hit users including party supply seller, Party City, which saw its share price tank 30 percent in 6 months due to tight supplies.
• Helium is an important component of medical and aerospace technology.

There’s a major helium shortage affecting a host of industries — and it’s not clear how anyone is going to solve it.

The naturally occurring resource is well-known to the general public for its use in balloons, but it is also an important component of medical and aerospace technology. In fact, its list of potential uses includes some cutting-edge technology. Read more…