Helium comes from the Greek word Helios, meaning “sun.” Helium is very abundant in the Sun, which makes sense given its name.

It is colorless, odorless, and non-toxic. Helium is also the first of the noble gases.

It is the second lightest and second most abundant element in the universe, with both of those honors going to hydrogen.

Helium was first detected during a solar eclipse in 1868 by Georges Rayet, who noticed a yellow spectral line in the Sun. British astronomer Norman Lockyer was the first to realize this line was caused by a new element, which he named after the Sun.

Despite its abundance in the universe, helium is relatively rare on Earth. Most of the helium found here was produced through the radioactive decay of heavier elements and was trapped in natural gas deposits.

Because helium atoms are so small, they can leak out of balloons even without a visible puncture in the rubber or Mylar.

Our supply of helium is rapidly decreasing, and it is non-renewable. Once released, helium rises into the atmosphere and eventually escapes into the vastness of space.

Helium is critical for cooling MRI machines. Data centers and other parts of the tech world also rely on helium for effective cooling.

The United States had a virtual monopoly on helium during the early 20th century.

When the U.S. National Helium Reserve started costing more to maintain than it contributed in value, it was privatized in 1996 and sold to the highest bidder.

The reason your voice sounds higher after inhaling helium is because the speed of sound in helium is about three times faster than in normal air.

While helium itself is non-toxic, inhaling too much can be dangerous, as it displaces the oxygen your body needs to survive.

Helium has the lowest boiling and melting points of all elements, and it only becomes solid under extremely high pressures and very low temperatures.