But is all that helium too precious to release? In recent years, the element has sometimes been hard for industries to get. Because helium is so expensive to mine, companies often charge high prices for it. Wars and other conflicts can cut off supply and cause the price to increase. Some scientists have had to shut down machines because they don’t have helium to keep them running.
Luckily, there is still plenty of helium on Earth, says Allison Sandoval. She works for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which manages the U.S. helium supply. “There are about 80 years of known helium reserves underground in Wyoming alone,” she says.
As companies mine the known helium sources, they are also searching for more of the gas in the ground. Industries that rely on the element are also finding ways to conserve it. Scientists are collecting helium after it’s used in experiments. Macy’s parade organizers are looking for ways to recycle the helium they use for balloons.
With these efforts, experts believe helium will be around to fill parade balloons for decades to come. “People worry about important natural resources running out,” says Sandoval. “Fortunately, helium is not one of those things.”