A helium crisis is brewing in the Persian Gulf, where 200 containers holding 41,000 liters of the precious gas are stranded. With no refrigeration and insulation as their only lifeline, these containers will start venting helium into the atmosphere in 35-48 days. The situation's critical: Qatar's North Field, a major helium supplier, is offline after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending prices soaring. This shortage spells trouble for industries relying on ultra-pure helium, like EUV lithography in semiconductors, with no substitute in sight.