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We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

theguardian.com

211–220 of 606 posts

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#211

In all important areas such as clean energy, fusion energy, biotechnology and AI the Chinese government is heavily investing in and pushing Chinese companies to lead the world. China Is Outspending the U.S. to Achieve the ‘Holy Grail’ of Clean Energy: Fusion See: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/13/climate/china-us-fusion-e... America's lead in biotechnology is slipping, while China has made synthetic biology a nation…

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Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, they're both authoritarian right now. But at least one of them doesn't think science is woke. So....

if you actually think China would even entertain the idea of funding some of the scientific research conducted in the US over the past few decades, you have a fantasy view of what is going on outside the US. That political controversy wouldn't even arise because it's such a nonstarter that it could never even become a controversy.

Past being the key point. Because, right now it's all Dumpty all the time, until we boot his weak tools and fools November. I'm confident we are stronger than that two bit corrupt fraud, and will get back to where science funding is a priority. Hopefully our state of affairs is much more temporary than what China is subjected to. But there's absolutely no question whether the dunce parade in the US is anti science.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In most of the world, most humans have to move within the realm of available resources. One could easily say that if a manager of US sees too many PhDs, it is natural to conclude that since there is not enough resources to go around, adding more resource consumers is silly. We can argue all over whether it is a good policy, or whether the allocation makes sense, or whether the resources are really not there, but, how…

The need for things exists independent of the standalone economic viability of those things. That is the entire point of public funding of various resources, including scientific funding. The “available” resources is a political decision. Further, reduction in funds for public resources or increase in misery for scientists are not in and of themselves evidence that those resources were over-funded or too cushy. For t…

It invariably always is.

Sure, but there is only so long that can go on funding studying of rather pointless stuff[1] ( added UK example to not be accused of hating on anything in particular US-wise ).

[1]https://web-archive.southampton.ac.uk/cogprints.org/5272/1/g...

I am not suggesting that. I am literally saying: there is only so much money. That is it. And if push comes to shove, studies of whether chicken finds humans pretty take a back seat to more pressing matters.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering the degree of "hate speech" a Tweet would have to contain to land someone in jail includes direct incitements of violence, I'm scared to ask what sort of opinion you'd like to share that you feel you legally cannot. The claim that you get thrown in jail in London "just for sharing your opinion" is a myth, unless your opinion is, "round up everyone of race X, put them in a hotel, and burn the hotel down."

the amount of people arrested for online activity in England is not the best example to use if you're arguing that such events are rare. otherwise, your incredulity to such a belief is why the far-right continues to gain a constituency in Europe and elsewhere. so instead of dismissing the concern, which fuels the far-right, you could just acknowledge it is a real thing people are experiencing, and that it doesn't hel…

The "real thing people are experiencing" is posting unambiguous hate speech or calls for violence, and then getting in legal trouble for it. Calling it "online activity" or "just sharing their opinion online" is the actual blatant misrepresentation of what's happening on the ground, akin to saying someone robbing a store was "jailed merely for getting food for dinner that night."

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#215
post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly Australia is very welcoming to foreigners until you get about 50km out of the major cities. Our xenophobe political party (One Nation) has had a significant rally in the last few years, to the point where by some measures it is the second largest party.

It’s the same in the US. Proximity to a city correlates strongly with all forms of openness. It holds nationwide. There aren’t really blue or red states, just predominantly urban or rural ones. I still don’t quite understand why. The contact hypothesis makes some sense but can that explain the whole urban rural divergence? Rural populations will even vote hard against their own interests in other areas over culture w…

There's more pressure in rural areas to conform in the sense that people know people that can make your time more difficult if you don't. If you get blacklisted in the bush gl finding any work and that's a survival issue. In the city you can walk around anon most of the time and people are more used to others being different. Dump a new high rise of foreigners that don't speak the local language in a metro area and no-one will notice. Do that in the bush and LOL.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Eh, I mean if you put it that way, I suppose all those budgets are just a show and not at all an indication of how utterly fucked we are as a country unless we both: a) massively reduce spending b) massively raise taxes In very real terms, there is only so much money. Some additional money can be borrowed, but we a slowly ( but surely ) reaching a breaking point on that as well. The issue is: no one is willing to sac…

Yes we have to massively raise taxes. We need to claw back billions and billions and billions of dollars from people for whom it will make zero difference in their daily lives, so that we can spend it on people for whom $100 can change their month, and $10000 can change their life.

Lol. No. We have to massively raise taxes JUST to keep this country afloat financially. The poor people are still fucked. I know it is exactly massively popular to say, which is why you don't see major proponents sans rando online like me.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US government is now more authoritarian than the Chinese government. Half of what you've been told is propaganda, like the "social credit score" story. In China they put people to death for corruption, here they just get a well-paid lobbying job.

> The US government is now more authoritarian than the Chinese government Nah we’re not playing this game. Try asking the CCP officials in person about Uyghur internment camps, or Tiananmen Square, and see if your family isn’t all arrested. Ask Olympian Alysa Liu how the CCP targeted her father to try to coerce her to skate for China.

Oh but this game is fun! I see your Uyghurs and raise the Falun Gong. A religious cult that is against pretty much anything liberal, but because they are a thorn in China's side they get US support and are oh-so-persecuted. They even have an anti-Communist acrobatics show called Shen Yun. Yes, that one, the one that spams your mailbox with flyers, and abuses kids.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US government is now more authoritarian than the Chinese government. Half of what you've been told is propaganda, like the "social credit score" story. In China they put people to death for corruption, here they just get a well-paid lobbying job.

> The US government is now more authoritarian than the Chinese government Nah we’re not playing this game. Try asking the CCP officials in person about Uyghur internment camps, or Tiananmen Square, and see if your family isn’t all arrested. Ask Olympian Alysa Liu how the CCP targeted her father to try to coerce her to skate for China.

I think the next 3 or so years in the US are going to be a real awakening for you, if the last year hasn't. It's going to become more and more difficult to shove your head deeper into the sand.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#219

In all important areas such as clean energy, fusion energy, biotechnology and AI the Chinese government is heavily investing in and pushing Chinese companies to lead the world. China Is Outspending the U.S. to Achieve the ‘Holy Grail’ of Clean Energy: Fusion See: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/13/climate/china-us-fusion-e... America's lead in biotechnology is slipping, while China has made synthetic biology a nation…

But related to this article, is China winning in terms of accumulating talent? I don’t think people all over Europe/Asia/Africa migrate to China. If they succeed, it’s purely with their own talent. The US still has that advantage even if it has less of it, unless I am mistaken.

> I don’t think people all over Europe/Asia/Africa migrate to China.

Learning mandarin is the major blocker imo, more people would move if the language was easier.

Re: We're no longer attracting top talent: the brain drain killing American science

#220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US government is now more authoritarian than the Chinese government. Half of what you've been told is propaganda, like the "social credit score" story. In China they put people to death for corruption, here they just get a well-paid lobbying job.

> The US government is now more authoritarian than the Chinese government Nah we’re not playing this game. Try asking the CCP officials in person about Uyghur internment camps, or Tiananmen Square, and see if your family isn’t all arrested. Ask Olympian Alysa Liu how the CCP targeted her father to try to coerce her to skate for China.

they shot unarmed protestors in US streets.
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