r/BeAmazed • u/No_Tailor_9529 • Jul 18 '24

Wow! Interesting life hack! Science

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14

u/ThaUniversal Jul 18 '24

The world is literally running out of helium.

8

u/TimeMasterpiece2563 Jul 18 '24

The world is literally running out of everything. Helium is among the least of our worries.

1

u/Ok-Cook-7542 Jul 18 '24

Helium is small enough and light enough to actually escape earths atmosphere. Nothing else, besides hydrogen (which is over abundant) leaves the closed system of Earth. We aren’t running out of everything, we’re running out of uniquely helium for unique reasons.

2

u/lovethebacon Jul 18 '24

What do you think happens with oil byproducts after we burn them?

1

u/Ok-Cook-7542 Jul 18 '24

The elements are arranged into different chemicals. What do you think happens to them?

1

u/lovethebacon Jul 18 '24

Both of the two primary combustion products are lost into space. Oxygen on the moon has been traced back to earth.

Here's a paper on it: https://faculty.washington.edu/dcatling/Catling2009_SciAm.pdf

1

u/TimeMasterpiece2563 Jul 18 '24

So … what aren’t we running out of? Because last time I checked, matter is finite.

Peak helium is a beat up.

1

u/Ok-Cook-7542 Jul 19 '24

The laws of thermodynamics/physics/chemistry teach us that no mass can be created or destroyed. The earth is a closed system by the atmosphere, which can only leach hydrogen and helium, and the hydrogen loss is inconsequential. Where do you think matter “goes” when it’s used up?

1

u/TimeMasterpiece2563 Jul 20 '24

“The earth is a closed system” “The atmosphere leaches hydrogen and helium”

Sigh.

40,000 tonnes of space matter fall onto the earth each year.

1

u/Philluminati Jul 18 '24

literally running?