Helium: Floating Nobility
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Atomic number: 2 Atomic weight: 4.003 amu Classification: Noble gas
Helium is a colorless, odorless gas named after Helios, the Greek God of the sun. This is because helium was discovered due to mysterious lines in the emission spectrum of sunlight. Why did we discover helium only after observing space, when it’s such a common element here on earth? It’s because helium is a noble gas that reacts with virtually nothing. Scientists just didn’t notice it. Poor helium didn’t have much of a presence.
Helium is very light, so it is used to fill floating things like balloons and airships. It replaced hydrogen because, although hydrogen is technically lighter, it is catches on fire easily. In contrast, helium is a noble gas that is too lazy to react with other elements. You wouldn’t want to ride an air balloon that might explode (read: Hindenburg disaster).