system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How will running out of Helium affect us, and is there anything we can do about it?

Over the past few months I've seen a couple of stories about how Earth has a finite supply of helium available and that we are going to run out eventually.  I know that we use helium in a lot of important things like medical devices, etc.  Basically I'm wondering what will happen when we do run out and if there is anything to be done about it.  Can we make more helium? Are there other gases that can serve the same purpose?

Thanks, love the subreddit!
gpt
First, we are not running out of helium.  

What is running out is the US National Helium Reserve.

In the 30's, the US maintained this reserve for dirigibles, and then on into the 50's, for cold war purposes.

By the mid 90's, the reserve was about a billion dollars in debt, so the US government decided to get out of the helium business, and has been selling it off ever since.

Helium is still available today as a by product of natural gas extraction, and will be for the foreseeable future.