Weird fact #832: World helium shortage

This absolutely knocked me over the head when I read it on Party Perfect the other day - did you know that there is a worldwide helium shortage?? According to an article from USA Today, the world could be out of helium in as few as eight years. So that means my (as yet to exist) children might never see a balloon freely floating or be able to inhale helium from balloon and talk in a weird chipmunk voice?

And think of how the wedding industry would feel. No more of any of this creativity:

(Coolest wedding "atmosphere" ever by London landscape architecture firm Gustafson Porter, via Apartment Therapy)

Or this:

(Awesome engagement photo session from Laura Ivanova)

Or beauties like this:

("Eglingham Hall with Balloons" by Tim Walker)

Is this really going to happen? A world without floating balloons would be a little less happy, don't you think?