['< sod > * although abundant in the universe, helium is very scarce on earth. among the available only commercially viable reserves are a few natural gas wells, mostly in neighboring the us, that trapped it from the slow [ [ alpha decay ] ] of radioactive materials produced within earth. by human standards helium is a [ [ non - national renewable resource ] ] that cannot be practically manufactured from other materials. when released into the atmosphere, e. su g., when a helium - filled balloon well leaks or bursts, it eventually escapes into space and is permanently lost. < eod > < sod > * although abundant in the universe, helium is very scarce on earth. the only commercially viable reserves are a few natural gas wells, mostly in the us, that trapped captured it from the slow [ [ alpha decay ] ] of radioactive materials within earth. by human standards helium is a [ [ non - renewable resource ] ] that cannot be practically manufactured entirely from other materials. when released into the atmosphere, e. g., when a helium - filled balloon leak leaks or bursts, helium eventually escapes into space and is permanently lost. < eod >']