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Articles on Helium

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New measurements from Japan’s Subaru telescope have helped researchers study the matter-antimatter asymmetry problem. Javier Zayas Photography/Moment via Getty

Measuring helium in distant galaxies may give physicists insight into why the universe exists

The way particles interacted while the universe was forming seconds after the Big Bang could explain why the universe exists the way it does – a physicist explains matter-antimatter asymmetry.
Artist Albert Robida imagined in 1882 how air travel might look in future. Everett Historical/Shutterstock

How will we travel the world in 2050?

More than a century since humans learned to fly, we need to revolutionise how we stay up there.
A butterfly’s wing viewed through an optical microscope (left) and the scanning helium microscope (right). University of Newcastle

New helium microscope reveals startling details without frying the sample

A new scanning helium microscope offers the potential for capturing images with finer resolution than optical microscopes, but without damaging samples as with electron microscopes.
The gas we’ve taken for granted is in increasingly limited supply. 【Kelly D Photography】

Helium rationing, a looming crisis – and a sinking feeling

Helium demand is rapidly outpacing supply, cheap helium is gone forever and rationing is inevitable. More disturbingly is that a global helium supply crisis is looming this year. The fact is that the US…
Many of us love helium balloons but we need to find and conserve more for use in MRI scanners. PA/Matthew Fearn

We’ll all be worse off when the helium balloon pops

Helium is God’s gift to humankind. It’s particularly fantastic for science and medicine and has allowed us to make an enormous number of fundamental advances. We use it for a whole vast array of things…

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