Aatish Bhatia
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aatishb.bsky.social
Aatish Bhatia
@aatishb.bsky.social
940 followers 770 following 200 posts
I'm a journalist at the New York Times. I make explainers and interactive graphics.

nytimes.com/by/aatish-bhatia
aatishb.com

Previously:
Freelance science writer
Associate director, Princeton
Physics Ph.D., Rutgers
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aatishb.bsky.social
morning math: trying to understand shallow neural networks
Diagrams to understand how a shallow one layer neural network with ReLU activations can be represented as a series of hinges. The 3N + 1 parameters control the positions, slopes and directions of each hinge, plus an overall offset.
November 2, 2025 at 4:22 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
Overall, fewer students arrived in August from most countries in the data. Africa and Asia showed the largest decline in international students visiting the U.S. in August, while Europe and Oceania showed small changes.
A bubble chart showing the change in international student arrivals from Asia between August 2024 and 2025. The average change is a decrease of -23.8%. A bubble chart showing the change in international student arrivals from Africa between August 2024 and 2025. The average change is -32.5%. A bubble chart showing the change in international student arrivals from Europe between August 2024 and 2025. The average change is -1.7%. A bubble chart of student arrival changes, with the country of India highlighted. The average change for India between August 2024 and 2025 is a decrease of -44.5%.
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
Iran is one of the countries facing a U.S. travel ban. The travel data shows that the number of arriving Iranian students dropped by 86 percent this August — the largest decline for any country in the data this year.
A line chart titled "August international student arrivals from... Iran," showing data from 2015 to 2025. The vertical y-axis shows the number of students, with markers for 1K and 2K. The horizontal x-axis shows the years. The chart shows a general decline in arrivals from over 2,000 in 2015 to under 1,000 in 2018. In 2020, there was a severe drop to nearly zero, with the lowest point labeled "Covid." This was followed by a dramatic recovery, with numbers surging to a new peak in 2023, well above 2,000 students. From this peak, the number of arrivals falls steeply. The final segment of the line, showing the decline into 2025, is highlighted in red with an annotation that reads: "1,097 fewer students (-86%)." The source for the data is listed as Trade.gov.
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
Students from Europe make up about 7 percent of U.S. international students. But they made up about 16 percent of international student arrivals in August. Their arrival numbers stayed roughly similar to those of the past year.
A collection of four line charts titled "August international student arrivals from..." showing data from 2015 to 2025. The main chart shows arrivals from the continent of Europe, with three smaller charts below detailing arrivals from Spain, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The source for all data is Trade.gov. Main Chart: Europe The large top chart for "Europe" has a vertical axis from 25K to 50K. The line shows that arrivals were very stable at just under 50,000 from 2015 to 2019. This was followed by a sharp V-shaped drop in 2020 to below 25,000, with the lowest point on the graph marked "Covid." A recovery followed, with numbers reaching a new peak in 2024, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The line shows a very slight drop in 2025. This final segment is highlighted in red, with an annotation that reads "891 fewer students (-2%)." Small Charts: Spain: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 8K. After the 2020 dip, arrivals recovered to a new peak before declining slightly. The final segment is colored red, indicating a 4% decrease (-4%). United Kingdom: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 8K. Following the 2020 drop, arrivals show a steady and continuous recovery, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The final segment is colored green, indicating a 7% increase (+7%). Germany: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 8K. After the 2020 drop, arrivals recovered to near pre-pandemic levels. The final segment is red, showing a 5% decrease (-5%).
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
The number of international students arriving from Africa fell by nearly a third in August. The shares of students arriving from Ghana and Nigeria fell by nearly half.

In July, the U.S. placed tighter rules on many categories of visas for citizens of Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Cameroon.
A collection of four line charts titled "August international student arrivals from..." showing data from 2015 to 2025. The main chart shows arrivals from the continent of Africa, with three smaller charts below detailing arrivals from Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya. The source for all data is Trade.gov. Main Chart: Africa The large top chart for "Africa" has a vertical axis from 5K to 15K. The line shows that arrivals fluctuated between 10,000 and 12,000 from 2015 to 2019 before a steep drop in 2020 to. This lowest point is marked "Covid." A strong recovery followed, with numbers surging to a peak of over 16,000 in 2024, significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. The line then drops sharply in 2025. This final segment is highlighted in red, with an annotation that reads "5,509 fewer students (-32%)." Small Charts: Nigeria: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 4K. After a steep drop in 2020, arrivals recovered, peaking above 4K. This is followed by a steep decline. The final segment is colored red, indicating a 48% decrease (-48%). Ghana: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 4K. It shows a steady rise before the 2020 dip, followed by a recovery to a peak above 3K around 2024. This is followed by a steep drop. The final red segment shows a 51% decrease (-51%). Kenya: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 2K. The trend is more uneven but shows a similar drop in 2020 and a recovery to a new peak around 2023. The final segment is red, showing a 17% decrease (-17%).
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
This year, the number of international students arriving from Asia in August fell by 24 percent — the lowest August numbers on record outside of the pandemic.

The number of international students arriving from India dropped by 44 percent, following prolonged delays in processing student visas.
A collection of four line charts titled "August international student arrivals from..." showing data from 2015 to 2025. The main, large chart shows arrivals from Asia as a whole, with three smaller charts below detailing arrivals from China, India, and South Korea. The source for all data is Trade.gov. Main Chart: Asia The large top chart for "Asia" has a vertical axis from 0 to 300K. The line shows that arrivals were steady at just under 300,000 from 2015 to 2019. This was followed by a very steep drop in 2020, with the lowest point on the graph marked "Covid." A recovery occurred from 2020 to 2024, with arrivals peaking at over 250,000. The line then drops in 2025. This final segment is highlighted in red, with an annotation indicating "59,561 fewer students (-24%)." Small Charts: China: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 200K. It shows a steep drop in 2020, followed by an uneven recovery that remains well below pre-pandemic levels. The final segment showing the trend into 2025 is colored red, indicating a 12% decrease (-12%). India: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 100K. After the 2020 dip, arrivals from India surged dramatically, peaking in 2023 at nearly 100,000, well above pre-pandemic levels. This is followed by a steep drop. The final segment is red, showing a 44% decrease (-44%). South Korea: This chart's vertical axis goes up to 40K. It shows a general downward trend from 2015, and a steeper 2020 dip. The recovery was modest, and the line continues to decline. The final red segment shows an 11% decrease (-11%).
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
The decline is occurring as the Trump administration has delayed visa processing, instituted travel bans or restrictions for 19 countries, threatened to deport international students for pro-Palestinian speech, and heightened the vetting of student visa applicants.
A line chart titled "International student arrivals to the U.S. in August" showing data from 2015 to 2025. The vertical y-axis represents the number of students, with labels for 200K and 400K. The horizontal x-axis represents the years. The line shows that student arrivals were consistently high, just over 400,000, from 2015 to 2019. In 2020, there was a drop to well around 50,000, with this point on the graph labeled "Covid". After 2020, the number of arrivals recovered sharply, peaking in 2023 at just under 400,000. The line then shows a decline to 2025. The segment from 2024 to 2025 is highlighted in red, with a text annotation pointing to the 2025 data point that reads: "73,802 fewer students (-19%)". The source is cited as Trade.gov. A note at the bottom reads: "Note: The data for August 2025 is preliminary and excludes visitors who arrived from Mexico via land, and visitors from Canada."
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
And here's a video. See a real-time view of Earth here: himawari.asia
September 22, 2025 at 11:37 AM
aatishb.bsky.social
Happy September Equinox! Today the dividing line between day and night runs exactly from the North pole to the South pole, and the sun is directly over the equator. This is an actual image of the Earth today, taken from the Himawari-8 satellite.
A photograph of the Earth taken from Himawari-8, showing the earth perfectly divided into day on the left and night on the right, with the day/night divider running from the north pole to the south pole. A photograph of the Earth taken from Himawari-8, showing the earth perfectly divided into day on the left and night on the right, with the day/night divider running from the north pole to the south pole. A thin circle and dotted line are overlaid to show the division of the full circle into two semicircles.
September 22, 2025 at 11:34 AM
aatishb.bsky.social
Reading Galileo, and learning that he had surprisingly high standards for the astronomical knowledge of his readers!
Highlighted excerpt from the Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo: "To assert that the moon's secondary light is imparted by Venus is so childish as to deserve no reply. Who is so ignorant as not to understand that from new moon to a separation of sixty degrees between moon and sun, no part of the moon which is averted from the sun can possibly be seen from Venus?"
September 10, 2025 at 5:48 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
And their Patreon has some great bonus clips, like this paleontologist's thoughts on the Jurassic World movies www.patreon.com/posts/proble...
July 13, 2025 at 2:34 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
Can anyone help me identify what these stalk-like structures are on this leaf? I'm not familiar with them.
leaf with protruding stalks leaf with protruding stalks and an insect
June 27, 2025 at 3:41 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
When my editor asks me how it's going
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
An illustration by Christoph Niemann showing two black and white figures working at desks. The top figure sits with its head in its hand and the bottom figure has arms raised in celebration. There are two paths connecting them, a blue tangled path, and a red direct path. The caption reads "Communicating emotions from person to person through writing, composing or painting is inefficient and inherently human."
June 25, 2025 at 12:43 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
We pored through more than 900 grants worth $2.6 billion that the Trump administration canceled at Harvard.

“This is larger than any individual grant,” a researcher told us. “What we are losing is a future.”

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

With @emmbadger.bsky.social and @ethansinger.bsky.social
A treemap of terminated research grants at Harvard
June 23, 2025 at 1:35 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
“I’ve never seen anything that simultaneously really goes after poor people and then really helps rich people,” said Chuck Marr, the vice president for federal tax policy at the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Bar chart titled “How the Bill Would Affect Households at Different Income Ranks.” It shows the estimated average annual change in after-tax resources between 2026 to 2034 for ten income groups. The bottom 10 percent lose 3.9 percent, the 10th–20th percent lose 1.2 percent, and the 20th–30th percent lose 0.4 percent. All higher groups gain: +0.1 percent (30th–40th), +0.5 percent (40th–50th), +0.8 percent (50th–60th), +1.1 percent (60th–70th), +1.3 percent (70th–80th), +1.5 percent (80th–90th), and +2.3 percent for the top 10 percent.
June 13, 2025 at 5:39 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
The 2022 CHIPS and Science Act created the N.S.F.’s Directorate of Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. This branch’s grant funding has decreased by 17% this year, a moderate reduction compared with the decreases in other areas.
Technology, Innovation & Partnerships directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $110 m → 2025 $92 m (-17 %)  Divisions:  • Translational Impacts $86 m → $44 m (-48 %)  • Innovation & Technology Ecosystems $24 m → $47 m (+95 %)
May 22, 2025 at 2:05 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
There has been a 96 percent decrease in N.S.F. grant funding for multidisciplinary research, which spans biology, physics and engineering. The behavioral and cognitive sciences division has awarded 30 percent more grant funding this year compared with the past decade’s average.
Social & Behavioral Sciences directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $78 m → 2025 $62 m (-20 %)  Divisions:  • Behavioral & Cognitive Sciences $32 m → $42 m (+30 %)  • Social Science & Economics $31 m → $20 m (-37 %)  • Nat’l Center for Science & Engineering Stats $2 m → $0 m (-100 %)  • Multidisciplinary Activities $11 m → ≈$0 m (-96 %)
May 22, 2025 at 2:03 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
This year, the N.S.F. has fired workers at the Office of Polar Programs, which coordinates research in the Arctic and the Antarctic. The polar office has awarded 88% less money in grants this year.
Geosciences directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $305 m → 2025 $204 m (-33 %)  Divisions:  • Ocean Sciences $103 m → $136 m (+33 %)  • Atmospheric & Geospace $63 m → $40 m (-36 %)  • Earth Sciences $78 m → $16 m (-80 %)  • Office of Polar Programs $51 m → $6 m (-88 %)  • R.I.S.E. $11 m → $6 m (-47 %)
May 22, 2025 at 2:01 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
CS divisions that support research in topics like artificial intelligence, data science, computer security and emerging computing technologies have awarded fewer funds this year. But the office of advanced cyberinfrastructure has awarded twice the funding that is typical by this time of year.
Computer Science directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $277 m → 2025 $192 m (-31 %)  Divisions:  • Advanced Cyberinfrastructure $39 m → $80 m (+102 %)  • Computer & Network Systems $96 m → $42 m (-57 %)  • Information & Intelligent Systems $68 m → $27 m (-60 %)  • Computing Foundations $74 m → $43 m (-41 %)
May 22, 2025 at 1:57 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
N.S.F. grant funding for biology is at half of its previous 10-year average. There were fewer funds awarded for research in biotechnology and environmental biology, and less money for the tools, facilities and people that support biological research.
Biology directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $303 m → 2025 $147 m (-52 %)  Divisions:  • Biological Infrastructure $99 m → $32 m (-68 %)  • Integrative Organismal Systems $88 m → $34 m (-61 %)  • Environmental Biology $75 m → $39 m (-49 %)  • Molecular & Cellular Biosciences $40 m → $37 m (-9 %)  • Emerging Frontiers $0.8 m → $5 m (+521 %)
May 22, 2025 at 1:54 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
N.S.F. grant funding for core engineering disciplines has dropped by 57% this year. These divisions fund areas like robotics, manufacturing innovations and semiconductor research.
Engineering directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $221 m → 2025 $94 m (-57 %)  Divisions:  • Civil & Mechanical $80 m → $42 m (-48 %)  • Chemical & Bio $75 m → $22 m (-71 %)  • Electrical $36 m → $19 m (-48 %)  • Engineering Education $27 m → $12 m (-56 %)  • Emerging Frontiers $2 m → $0 m (-98 %)
May 22, 2025 at 1:53 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
N.S.F. grant funding for core scientific disciplines like math, physics, chemistry and material sciences has dropped by two-thirds this year. Math and statistics grant funding is lagging behind previous years by 72%, physics grant funding by 85%, and materials research grant funding by 63%.
Math, Physics & Chemistry directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $432 m → 2025 $143 m (-67%)  Divisions:  • Materials Research $118 m → $43 m (-63 %)  • Chemistry $103 m → $44 m (-57%)  • Math $113 m → $32 m (-72%)  • Physics $72 m → $11 m (-85%)  • Astronomy $26 m → $12 m (-53%)
May 22, 2025 at 1:50 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
The N.S.F.’s directorate for STEM education has had one of the steepest shortfalls in new grants. Its award funding has declined by around 80 percent this year.

"You can’t have science without scientists," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, the top Democrat on the House science committee.
STEM-education directorate • Total: 2015-24 avg $280 m → 2025 $56 m (-80 %)  Sub-programs:  • Undergrad. Education $135 m → $39 m (-71 %)  • Research on Learning $77 m → $16 m (-79 %)  • Equity for Excellence $46 m → $1 m (-97 %)  • Graduate Education $21 m → $0 (-100 %)
May 22, 2025 at 1:46 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
This year, the N.S.F. has funded new grants at its slowest pace since at least 1990. The funding has slowed even further since April 30, when agency employees were first told to stop awarding funds entirely. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Line chart titled “Cumulative grant funding by the National Science Foundation, 1990-2025.” • Each thin gray line represents one calendar year’s cumulative intended grant awards (Jan. 1 to May 21) in 2025 dollars. • Lines for 2021-2024 are shown in dark blue; they reach above $2 billion by mid-May. • The 2025 line is highlighted in red. It rises more slowly, reaching about $1 billion and then flattening out after April 30, when staff were told to halt new awards. Footnote: Shows the cumulative total intended award for all grants funded by the N.S.F. from Jan. 1 to May 21 of each year in 2025 dollars. Spikes reflect large multi-year grants.
May 22, 2025 at 1:40 PM
aatishb.bsky.social
While the funding lost from canceling grants were largely focused on STEM education, the slowdown in funding new grants represents an across-the-board hit to American science.
Horizontal bar chart titled “Canceled funding from in-progress grants” that lists eight NSF directorate groups: • STEM education −$656 million (by far the largest bar). • Math, physics, chemistry −$61 million. • Geosciences −$53 million. • Computer science −$47 million. • Social sciences −$46 million. • Technology −$38 million. • Engineering −$36 million. • Biology −$28 million. Footnote: The chart shows the total cut in intended award funding for terminated grants grouped by N.S.F. directorate after excluding money that has already been spent. Source: USA Spending and Grant Watch. Horizontal bar chart titled “Decline in new grant funding in 2025” that lists eight NSF directorates: • Math, physics, chemistry −$289 million (largest bar). • STEM education −$223 million. • Biology −$156 million. • Engineering −$127 million. • Geosciences −$101 million. • Computer science −$85 million. • Technology −$18 million. • Social sciences −$16 million. Source: N.S.F.
May 22, 2025 at 1:35 PM