The Indicator from Planet Money · Tuesday, August 4, 2026
The world is facing a significant shortage of helium, a critical element that cannot be manufactured and is extracted from natural gas. Demand has surged due to the AI boom and the need for helium in medical imaging (MRI machines), nuclear reactors, and semiconductor manufacturing. Supply is further constrained by geopolitical issues, specifically impacting Qatar's production, a major global supplier.
“And that problem is a lot of people's first association with helium is party balloons. But helium is actually needed to operate MRI machines and cool nuclear reactors. And it's also needed to manufacture semiconductors.”
“So the US Geological Survey says Qatar accounted for 35% of global helium production in 2024. And Iranian and missile strikes have knocked out that supply.”
“And even if Qatar's facilities were up and running, they would still have to ship helium through the strait of Hormuz, and we know that barely anything is getting through these days.”