Helium is way more important than you might think. And the supply chain is in crisis.

The world’s helium supply is facing a shortage seven months after Iranian strikes on a Qatari gas facility and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A range of industries are feeling the impact with no end to the war in sight. While most people associate helium with party balloons and squeaky voices, this finite and irreplaceable natural resource is critical for modern life. Without helium, there are no smartphones, cars, MRI machines, rocket launches, or missiles. Helium is also challenging to extract and transport, according to Cliff Cain, the president of a helium exploration company. It needs to…