Live data from Hacker News

American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

bigthink.com

61–70 of 129 posts

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If we assume science still has new things to tell the world, who better for researchers to share their discoveries with than the next generation? That’s the argument, anyway. In practice, it’s a crapshoot. Many researchers are dreadful educators due to incentives, training, and disposition. Every now and then you’ll run across a researcher who is also a great educator, but there’s no institutional force that pushes t…

That explains why you would want researchers to teach students, but not why students (who generally have little to no income to speak of and are already struggling with university costs in the US) should directly pay for research

There's no shortage of voc-techs and colleges for teaching skills & trades.

I personally think undergraduate at a big (research) university is bad for most students. But the prestige ain't nothing.

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#62

This is good for the world. Hyper concentration of talent reduces diversity.

The economic concept of economies of scale dictates that the more researchers there are in one location, the more efficiently they are likely able to research.

It also destabilizes areas with brain drain resulting in economic destruction and mass migration (one of the factors destroying Europe).

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#63
post #21

[flagged]

[flagged]

> Please take a deep breath and think next time before you post such an ignorant statement.

You can't comment like this on HN, no matter what you're replying to. We've had to ask you before to avoid personal swipes in comments, going back many years. Please take a moment to remind yourself of the guidelines and make an effort to observe them in future.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#64

> Many of the most valuable scientific organizations in the world, including NOAA, NASA, the NSF, the CDC, the EPA, and the FDA, I don’t dismiss the premise of the article and I think it is a shame how these organizations are being impacted, but I don’t know that these are the best exemplars of cutting edge science being shut down that will lead to America’s downfall from its scientific perch.

> but I don’t know that these are the best exemplars of cutting edge science being shut down that will lead to America’s downfall from its scientific perch

Most of these agencies do some foundational science but maybe more importantly they collect lots of boring data. Boring data they give out to researchers for free. They also hand out grants which might not be lottery tickets but they pay for boring stuff.

The current administration believes that if you stop measuring any problem it ceases to be a problem. No one can push back on their flood of bullshit about everything if there's no data to point to. Authoritarians despise objective reality and empirical measurement and will always strive to make it easier to push their bullshit narratives.

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#65

> Many of the most valuable scientific organizations in the world, including NOAA, NASA, the NSF, the CDC, the EPA, and the FDA, I don’t dismiss the premise of the article and I think it is a shame how these organizations are being impacted, but I don’t know that these are the best exemplars of cutting edge science being shut down that will lead to America’s downfall from its scientific perch.

Seriously? The NSF?

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s like a couple of DoE grants in the US.

It's an example showing that institutions elsewhere are actually responding to this (a question asked by the parent post), and Norway will very likely not be alone here.

Yeah I just mentioned Norway since I'm Norwegian. Other EU countries are doing similar, like France[1].

[1]: https://www.politico.eu/article/meet-first-academic-refugees...

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#67
post #55

The value destruction is mind blowing. The fact that it’s deliberate I just can’t wrap my head around.

[flagged]

Please…elaborate. How were they “weaponized against most of the country”?

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#69
post #43

Americans getting a crash course in how white supremacy destroys itself. Did you know: Slavery was so profitable, it sprouted more millionaires per capita in the Mississippi River valley than anywhere in the nation. Look at them now. https://www.history.com/articles/slavery-profitable-southern...

Slavery was terrible for the economy and the debate at the time was actually surprisingly similar to the illegal immigrant labor debate today

Re: American science to soon face its largest brain drain in history

#70

[flagged]

Please don't post inflammatory comments like this on HN. Please make an effort to observe the guidelines, especially these ones:

Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive.

Eschew flamebait.

Please don't use Hacker News for political or ideological battle. It tramples curiosity.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Post reply on HN