Trade secrets... Helium balloons

By 2013-11-01T16:43:00

A blue helium balloon

Source: Shutterstock

Secrets of the trade: Where does the helium gas in a party balloon come from? Jonathan Hare finds out…

 We are all familiar with the sight of a helium party balloon floating on its string. It gives delight to children (young and old) and there is something rather poignant about a balloon drifting up and up into the sky, making its escape from a small careless hand and the Earth’s gravity. We may be familiar with the helium balloon, but where does the helium in the balloon actually come from?

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