A source of hydrogen is a glass or glass-ceramic shell and a gas comprising at least 80% by volume of hydrogen. The glass shell has an initial permeability to hydrogen gas of less than about 50% decrease in pressure in 30 days and a final permeability to hydrogen of about 50% decrease in pressure in a few minutes or less, upon exposure of the glass to a continuous or pulsed fluence of at least 0.1 W/cm2 of electromagnetic radiation to modulate the microstructure of the glass and to increase the hydrogen gas permeability of the glass network. A method of providing hydrogen gas in the shell and exposing the shell to electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength and fluence that increases permeability of the shell to hydrogen gas so that encapsulated hydrogen gas permeates through the shell.