“A dream. It’s perfect”: Helium discovery in northern Minnesota may be biggest ever in North America::For a century, the U.S. Government-owned the largest helium reserve in the country, but the biggest exporters now are in Russia, Qatar and Tanzania. With this new discovery, Minnesota could be joining that list.

  • protist@mander.xyz
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    8 months ago

    I think for balloons we should switch back to hydrogen. What could possibly go wrong?

    • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work
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      8 months ago

      Probably not much. The hydrogen that a party balloon would contain could certainly make a small, exciting explosion, but it probably wouldn’t have enough energy to set anything else on fire.

      • Norbynorwest@lemmynsfw.com
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        8 months ago

        It’s a common high school chem lab demonstration. Without added oxygen, the H2 balloons sort of burn from the outside in, and you get a sort of slow burning mushroom plume. It could light paper or cloth on fire in close proximity.

        With added oxygen… BLAM! It could shatter windows.

        • CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work
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          8 months ago

          Yes. I use flammable gas for cooking and heating in my home everyday, hydrogen science kit toys are available for children to play with, and I have some experience working with actually dangerous high pressure hydrogen and oxygen to boot.