The subject of the book is helium the element and its use in myriad applications including
MRI machines particle accelerators space telescopes and of course balloons and blimps. It
was at the birth of our Universe or the Big Bang where the majority of cosmic helium was
created and stellar helium production continues. Although helium is the second most abundant
element in the Universe it is actually quite rare here on Earth and only exists because of
radioactive elements deep within the Earth. This book includes a detailed history of the
discovery of helium of the commercial industry built around it how the helium we actually
encounter is produced within the Earth and the state of the helium industry today. The gas
that most people associate with birthday party balloons is running out. Who cares? you might
ask. Well without helium MRI machines could not function rockets could not go into space
particle accelerators such as those used by CERN could not operate fiber optic cables would
not exist and semiconductor chips could not be made...the list goes on and on.
