My hope for the future rests entirely upon responsible shepherding of our remaining helium supplies so they last until we find good sources elsewhere.
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Essentially all modern technology either directly relies on helium, or its manufacturing and inputs rely on helium.
As well as our medical imaging technology.
And hopes for future production of energy largely rests on a rare helium isotope.
Helium is so cheap because the US government is selling it off at a very high rate. And the price being depressed means that alternatives are not actively being developed.
When the price begins to naturally rise again as the US's reserve is exhausted, it'll be too late.
Not to mention that the technology to find helium elsewhere itself requires helium.
[Edited by Dhampy, 3/20/2011 8:48:38 PM]
Thank you for mentioning this, I'm sure that even most of my science professors aren't aware of this, I'll be bringing it up in class.
As for my views on the future, I can only hope to get a job thats good enough to keep me going, with the way things are these days I'm not so sure.
If 2012 proves to be a hoax, the world will be a very different place come 2013!
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