The great poaching: America's brain drain begins

The Trump administration's spending cuts and restrictions on foreign students are causing a brain drain in the US, with American scientists panicking as the country's science pipeline is drying up. The National Science Foundation is doling out grants at its slowest pace in 35 years, and universities are watching as the administration tries to limit foreign students. Harvard is facing a total ban on recruiting internationally, and the administration is "aggressively revoking" visas for Chinese students. As a result, American universities are rescinding offers to PhD students, while countries like Canada, Europe, and China are seeing a surge in applications from US scientists. The journal Nature found that US applicants are looking for jobs in other countries, while US jobs are seeing fewer applications from international candidates. France's Aix-Marseille University received a flood of applications from US scientists, and even Nobel laureate Ardem Patapoutian received an offer from China. The White House argues that its changes will usher in a golden age of science, but professors say this isn't realistic, and the hit to young people is at the center of the whole enterprise. The brain drain is not just about existing talent, but also those in high school and college who might reconsider a career in research. Despite this, some scientists are telling students to hold on, as the current situation may change by the time they get their PhD.