helium articles

How soon will Earth run out of helium?

The constant hum of worry surrounding our planet's helium supply isn't about a sudden, immediate catastrophe next Tuesda...

What does a star produce from hydrogen?

The heart of any star, from the smallest red dwarf to the most colossal blue giant, is a furnace that fundamentally chan...

Where does escaped helium go?

The question of what happens to helium released into the atmosphere has a surprisingly definitive answer: it leaves the ...

Can the Sun fuse helium?

The primary energy source powering our Sun right now is not the fusion of hydrogen directly into helium in a single step...

How do stars burn helium?

The transition for a star from its long, stable youth burning hydrogen to its more dramatic middle age where it tackles ...

What elements are stars made of?

The vast majority of what we see twinkling in the night sky—the light that has traveled for years, decades, or millennia...