A birthday celebration turned tragic when eight-year-old Joshua Dunbar died from a helium balloon asphyxiation. Not every toy is dangerous. But not every toy is as safe as it looks, either. Childhood ...

If you've ever transported helium balloons in your car, perhaps courtesy of a small child who won't let you store them in the trunk, you may have seen something odd.

The helium shortage is potentially deflating for a range of purposes: airbags, rocket fuel, MRIs, fiber optics, semiconductors, and, yes, balloons.