The U.S. just sold its helium stockpile. Here’s why the medical world is worried.

Just tearing the copper wires out of the walls without a shred of irony at this point.

Can't wait for all that finite, medically important helium to be wasted on sellng party balloons.

Capitalism is so rational

Gonna laugh when in a few years the government of another nation ends up owning it.

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/03/1114964240/new-battery-technology-china-vanadium

A bunch of scrappy engineers made a next generation battery and sold the technology to the US government

The government never bothered to manufacture anything. Instead they sold everything to China and now they’re already releasing public versions of the batteries. Now the US doesn’t have any knowledge on the batteries or even the factories to build them

Helium is technically finite, but it's really a byproduct of natural gas extraction. Most natural gas operations don't bother to even harvest the helium.

Holy shit, why would you do this. Neoliberals are the stupidest people on the planet. "Oh well we have to sell it off because it's not profitable enough!" sure am glad this won't cause the price of helium to surge resulting in a hike in MRI costs.

Get ready for helium in everything for like three years and then it’s all gone. No more floaty balloons ever again.

joe biden with the highest voice you've ever heard

This has similar vibes to being an addict and selling your playstation or couch to buy drugs, but at least drugs are fun where is this is just being done to accumulate more capital for a dozen crusty old fucks

capitalists are the stupidest fucking people on earth

This shit is a crime against the people and in a civilized country, these fuckers would be sent to a gulag for 20 years, then the people would seize the helium back.

owns it now

Can't wait to listen to all my analytical chemistry friends complain about how helium is too expensive and how they have to design new procedures.

Looks like we're already out, bought a "helium-filled" HDD and it doesn't even float.

When I looked into this a couple years ago, my understanding was that yes, the supply is finite, but the amount we have in storage is a lot and we slowing mining operations because we have enough on reserve for a while.

Havent they been in the middle of doing this for like 20 years?

actors in munchkin roles reeling.

Is there like a SpongeBob meme where the magic conch is capital and he’s is pulling it for an answer or something

This is the equivalent of our very logical and rational economic system btw

Serious question: is there a replacement for helium or is it sorta a when it’s gone it’s gone kinda deal

It’s over for balloons

Clown world should have been our meme.

prepare for Balloonpocalypse