While it's incredibly abundant in stars and the interstellar medium, it's actually quite rare on Earth. This is because:

* Lightness: Helium is very light and has a low gravitational pull, making it difficult for Earth to hold onto it.

* Escape velocity: Helium atoms move fast enough to escape Earth's atmosphere.

* Limited formation: Helium is primarily formed through nuclear fusion in stars, and Earth's formation didn't involve a significant amount of this process.

Therefore, while helium is the second most abundant element in the universe, it's a relatively scarce resource on our planet.