In junior high school in the 1970s, I built a small helium-neon laser. (Yes, I was a science geek.) By built, I mean I ordered a sealed gas tube with mirrors on both ends and built a high-voltage ...

Lasers are pretty much magic — it’s all done with mirrors. Not every laser, of course, but in the 1980s, the most common lasers in commercial applications were probably the helium-neon … ...

The global neon gas market is set to expand significantly, with its valuation projected to grow from USD 286.6 million in 2024 to USD 605.4 million by 2034, registering an impressive CAGR of 7.8% ...

They were collecting the neon for their future laser projects, which maybe didn't all pan out. Then the Cold War ended, and all these neon facilities started selling to the rest of the world.