Helium: the invisible gas that powers AI, and why it’s in short supply

Alongside the oil and gas stranded in the strait of Hormuz is another commodity vital to today’s economy: helium. It is a critical element in all kinds of areas from MRI machines to the Large Hadron Collider, and even deep-sea diving. It is also integral to the AI boom. And this isn’t the first time its fragile global supply chain has been threatened. So why is helium so useful, and what will happen if the shortage continues? Ian Sample hears from co-host Madeleine Finlay, and from Sophia Hayes, professor of chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

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Helium: the invisible gas that powers AI, and why it’s in short supply is an episode from The Guardian's Science Weekly by The Guardian.

This episode is 00:16:19 long.

This episode was published on Apr 14, 2026.

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