Helium has a bad habit -- unique among the elements -- of escaping our atmosphere. It exists in individual atoms, (as a "noble" element) and those atoms have a very low mass so they can escape from the gravitic pull of our planet altogether. As distinct from hydrogen, the only lower-mass atom. Hydrogen atoms naturally combine with oxygen, and fortunately for us all they fall to the ground as beautiful water! But helium, very useful stuff, (not quite so useful as water, but ...) literally floats away from us. We may soon need a new supply. And mining the moon could provide it. Here is more: Bing Videos Meanwhile, as I move further into the development of my philosophy of planetary emergentism, I have come to the conclusion that it would be a good idea for the human species to abandon plans to colonize Mars, or anyplace else. But I have to concede that colonizing our own moon may be a partial exception. The Earth-moon system is a far ...