A huge helium shortage is looming — but ancient rocks in Earth's crust may be hiding massive reservoirs

A photo of three men crouched around a hole in the ground emitting helium gas.

In 1903, residents of the small town of Dexter, Kansas, gathered to celebrate a newly drilled natural gas well.

Crowds flocked to the well for the lighting of the escaping gas, which officials had said would produce "a great pillar of flame." But when they rolled a burning bale of hay onto the well, nothing happened.