Apparently, helium is having a moment.

The U.S. Department of Energy has designated helium a critical material because the global supply is at risk and the stuff is indispensable for manufacturing semiconductors. The designation means more federal financing for helium producers and closer government monitoring.

And here I thought helium’s primary contribution to civilization was making children sound like chipmunks at birthday parties.

Turns out, helium is a rather serious business. It plays a role in semiconductor manufacturing, medical imaging, scientific research, space exploration, and energy technologies, including wind, solar, and nuclear power.

Who knew the gas that makes a balloon float could help keep the modern world functioning?

Psychologically speaking, I find this delightful. We tend to underestimate things that seem silly, ordinary, or frivolous. We dismiss the small stuff because we assume importance must announce itself with a PowerPoint presentation and a six-figure budget.

But sometimes the thing that makes everyone laugh is the thing holding everything together.

Think about workplaces. The person who cracks jokes in meetings might also be the person keeping the team sane. The seemingly minor task might be the one preventing a major disaster. The resource nobody thinks about becomes indispensable the moment it disappears.

Helium reminds us that being underestimated and being unimportant are two entirely different things.

Of course, there is something deeply ironic about a substance that makes our voices squeaky being considered critical to national security and the energy future. Somewhere, a balloon animal is reconsidering its career prospects.

So the next time you see a helium balloon floating toward the ceiling, give it some respect. It may be more strategically important than half the people in your last executive meeting.

And if you happen to be the person everyone underestimates? Take heart.

You don’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to be essential.

Although, if you can make others sound like Mickey Mouse, I suspect that helps, too.