The 'helium shortage' makes Japanese researchers lament: 'unable to conduct experiments'
Release time：2025-01-07
According to the Japanese newspaper "Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun", a global "helium shortage" is causing a huge impact on major research institutions in Japan. Due to the Japanese government's priority in ensuring the satisfaction of industrial helium demand, major research institutions including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Institute of Physical Properties at the University of Tokyo are struggling with how to obtain helium gas.
It is understood that the boiling point of helium is -269 ° C, which is the lowest boiling point among all elements. Therefore, helium is widely used in low-temperature research of superconducting materials, medical devices, semiconductors, and other fields. For example, the MRI equipment and quantum computers in hospitals need to utilize the characteristic of helium gas. In addition, due to the strong stability of helium gas, it is now mostly used to replace hydrogen gas in making balloons.
Helium is mainly a byproduct in the production of natural gas. About 60% of the world's helium gas is produced in the United States. In addition, Qatar's helium production accounts for 30% of global production. Due to the impact of the collective severance of diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, it is difficult to export helium produced in Qatar to other countries. Although an international conference was held in 2018 to address this issue, there is still no sign of a solution.
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