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points by throw0101c 3 days ago | 0 comments
> We've been having helium shortages for years:

If it was worth (i.e., profitable) the effort to create to new supply wouldn't someone have done it by now? If no one is willing to pay for the effort, why should anyone do it at a loss?

(Isn't this, in theory, what The Market™ is all about? If people really wanted something they'd be willing to pay more for it, and it would be an incentive for more supply.)

[–] FeloniousHam 2 days ago
Do you think The Market™ _won't_ mobilize in response to the price incentive?
[–] throw0101c 2 days ago
Well, if there's a shortage as GP's 2022† article states, and the demand is 'actually' there, wouldn't the proverbial "Econ 101" response be a rise in prices? Has there been such a rise?

† I've seen articles from 2019 discussing the (alleged?) shortage.