Pionic helium In this experiment, a pion – shown here with one orange and one blue particle representing its quark and anti-quark – replaces one of the two electrons in the helium atom. This new ...

The American Physical Society (APS) has kick-started a pilot programme that is designed to provide helium at affordable prices for US academic researchers who need only small amounts of the element.

AFTER the discovery by Urey of the isotope of hydrogen of mass 2 (deuterium) and its concentration by electrolysis, it was natural to examine whether any other stable isotopes of hydrogen, and ...

Sorry to burst your balloon, but the world is currently experiencing its third major helium shortage in the last 14 years, putting more than just party decorations at risk. Heather Murphy at The New ...

The discovery of a huge helium gas field in East Africa is a “game changer for the future security of society’s helium needs” amid a global shortage, researchers in Britain said Tuesday. The discovery ...

In the beginning, all was dust and gas. For a while, anyway — until a great gas cloud, called the solar nebula, in what would become our solar system gradually condensed. Then came the Sun. Eventually ...

The outer hydrogen layers of the stars have been ripped away by a companion star, leaving them as an exposed helium star. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate ...

The next hot commodity could be hot air. Helium, used in everything from blimps and hot air balloons to MRI scanners, particle colliders, scuba gear, semiconductor manufacturing and rockets, is in ...

On today's show: Four Planet Money stories that aired on the radio but haven't yet made it into the show.