Scientists have understood for some time that the most abundant elements in the Universe are simple gases like hydrogen and helium. These make up the vast majority of its observable mass, dwarfing all ...

Oliver Warr – University of Ottawa; AEL AMS Laboratory. When you think of uses for helium, birthday balloons (and inhaling them for chipmunk voices) may come to mind. But it’s actually a highly valued ...

Owing to peculiar properties, helium has taken both the main and supporting roles in scientific discoveries over the years. Christine Herman explores just what makes it such a cool element. I was one ...

Amid political and economic turmoil, Qatar has closed its two helium production plants, Reuters reports. Qatar is the world’s second-biggest producer of helium, the gaseous element that sits at the ...