this post was submitted on 13 Mar 2026
510 points (98.9% liked)

World News

56126 readers
1514 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Warnings of Iran Invasion Grow as US to Send Up to 5,000 Marines, Sailors to Middle East

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 46 points 2 months ago (5 children)

I foresee this escalating and getting worse, leading to some catastrophic nonsense that puts our species to shame in only a matter of months.

We’re running out of helium, the strategic oil reserves are at most 20% of what’s needed, and now that wells are capped it’s to take months to get back.

As this continues Trump will get madder, dementia-ier, and try and escalate more.

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

We aren't running out of Helium. The date at which a specific reservoir gets sold is coming closer.

[–] Man_kind@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Technically we are. We won't be out in our lifetimes, to my knowledge, but we aren't making more helium. Once its gone, its gone. So, it is running out, but on what time scale?

When will the human race start slowing down? Its eventually just going to get crazy expensive and only used when vital. And we're filling party balloons with it.

[–] ISOmorph@feddit.org 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

The moon has a butload, if the scarcity becomes threatening there be enough financial motivation to mine it there.

[–] MigratingApe@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Isn’t this about purity or something and the helium used for party balloons wouldn’t be used in critical applications either way?

[–] despoticruin@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 months ago

Only because it's not currently financially viable to purify it. It's still mostly helium.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 0 points 2 months ago

I believe it's in more natural gas than just the stuff in parts of texas. South Africa somewhere has some if I recall.

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 months ago

The US already sold their reserves.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

What does running out of helium mean though? Bush auctioned off the helium supply for no good reason, they get it from like natural gas in Texas, but also now like South Africa or something.

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

semiconductors is most critical industry. US is an equal producer to Qatar (33% of supply each), and it is made from LNG (part that doesn't liquify) byproduct.

[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The odds of Trump trying to nuke someone is higher than 0%. My nation has contracted rabies. 😰

[–] panda_abyss@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 months ago

Their only strategy is to escalate and try to look stronger.

Now, the US military is not something to scoff at, but they’ll eventually end up escalating to nukes and threats of nukes, because there’s no way to win.

[–] IAmYouButYouDontKnowYet@reddthat.com -5 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Imagine if they have nukes... It would be darkly comical.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 25 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If Iran had nukes none of this would be happening.

[–] ScoffingLizard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Putin has nukes. Even he is not stupid enough to use them without a major setback.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 3 points 2 months ago

Putin is a lot of things, stupid is not one.

[–] shawn1122@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago

Would it be comical? If they had nukes and were backed into a corner they would likely use them.

In fact we can infer from US/Israel's willingness to attack now that their intelligence must be telling them that they do not have nukes.