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USA Today
a day ago
- Politics
- USA Today
As an immigrant, I don't expect shortcuts. Birthright citizenship is our right.
Trump's executive order reflects growing hostility toward all immigrants, regardless of how they arrived. The national rhetoric has grown more cynical and suspicious to all foreigners. 'Welcome home.' That's what a border protection agent said to me after a recent vacation. His words struck a chord with me because he acknowledged that the United States was my home. The irony of the situation being that I am not a U.S. citizen, I am an immigrant. As an immigrant, I often wonder whether I'm truly accepted in the country where I've spent the past 21 years of my life. Now the decision by the Supreme Court on President Donald Trump's birthright citizenship executive order makes me question that even more. Trump ordered an end to automatic citizenship for those born here ‒ unless at least one of the child's parents is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. And while the court's June 27 ruling didn't deal with the birthright citizenship question directly, their 6-3 decision lifted a temporary block on the president's unjust order. That order was the latest attempt to alienate immigrants and erase the immigrant history that built this nation. It undermines the idea that any immigrant, legal or not, can ever truly belong in America. Opinion: Supreme Court takes on birthright citizenship – but that's not the real case When I immigrated to this country as a child, I was once welcomed with open arms and integrated into the culture. However, for years, it's felt like my country has been slowly closing its doors to immigrants like me. While attacks on undocumented immigrants have often dominated the headlines, legal immigrants have been quietly targeted as well through backlogs, unnecessary barriers and, more recently, executive actions. Aging out of legal immigration visa My family immigrated to the United States when I was 5 years old on the H-1B visa. My father was invited to work here because of his skills in IT, and we eventually settled in Pittsburgh. Like many immigrant families, we built a life here. I went to school, made friends and followed the typical American path. That path eventually led me to Pennsylvania State University, where I earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. But on my 21st birthday, I aged out of my parents' immigration status because as far as immigration rules were concerned, I wasn't a child anymore. In a cruel twist of fate, four months later my parents received their green cards. That small gap meant they would become permanent residents, while I was forced to start over from the back of a broken immigration system. Opinion: I joked about getting deported. In Trump's America, it's not funny. I first realized that I was different from my friends in high school when I wasn't allowed to get a job and help support my family. In college, this realization became even more apparent when I had to switch to an F-1 student visa and had to legally prove that my 'home' address was in India, not in Pittsburgh where I lived with my family. Once I graduated and wanted to enter the workforce, I was denied most job opportunities ‒ not because I am unqualified, but because companies could not or would not sponsor immigrants. Every piece of paperwork I filed had to be absolutely perfect. Something as minor as a technical error on the immigration forms could have, and once nearly did, jeopardize my entire immigration status. Because of that four-month gap, I will continue to be treated as a visitor in the only country I have ever known and called home. Growing hostility toward immigrants I share this to make a simple but important point: Despite what the headlines might suggest, legal immigration is anything but easy. When the Biden administration announced in 2024 protections for Dreamers who as kids were brought to the United States illegally, I questioned the omission of children like me who continue to be left behind. Trump's executive order reinforces this message of exclusion by taking it even further and signaling that none of us belong here. Although the executive order does not apply directly to me, because I was born in India, it could have changed everything for my younger brother, who was born in Detroit. If this executive order had been in effect when he was born, he would not have been granted citizenship and he would be just like me, stuck in limbo and questioning his sense of acceptance. The executive order reflects the growing hostility toward all immigrants, regardless of how they arrived. Over the past decade, the national rhetoric has grown more cynical and suspicious of all foreigners. Immigrants are increasingly portrayed as threats, as job takers and outsiders, even when we are contributing to industries America depends on or are the only ones willing or capable of performing a job. I do not expect a shortcut. I do not expect special treatment. But I do expect the country that I love to treat me and people like my brother as if we belong here. Because this country was founded by immigrants, and her promise should still include all of us. Tanay Raje graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He is now working as an engineer at a sterile pharmaceutical company in Philadelphia. Tanay is also a member of Improve the Dream, one of the more than 250,000 children of long-term visa holders, raised and educated in America.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Temple of Civilization That Mysteriously Vanished 1,000 Years Ago Revealed
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A newly uncovered ancient temple in the Bolivian Andes is offering archaeologists rare new insights into the Tiwanaku civilization, a once-powerful society that existed over a thousand years ago and was a precursor to the Inca empire before it mysteriously disappeared. The temple—dubbed Palaspata, after the native name for the area—is located on a hilltop in the municipality of Caracollo, near Tiwanaku's historical UNESCO site by Lake Titicaca. The spot was known to local indigenous farmers, but was never explored in depth by researchers because of its unassuming location. However, the position of the site was actually very strategic, anthropology professor José Capriles of the Pennsylvania State University said in a statement. "Their society collapsed sometime around 1000 CE and was a ruin by the time the Incas conquered the Andes in the 15th century", he said. The anthropologist explained that, at its peak, the Tiwanaku civilization boasted a highly organized societal structure and it had left behind remnants of monuments like pyramids and temples. Capriles added: "While we know Tiwanaku's control and influence extended much further, scholars debate how much actual control over distant places it had." The above image shows a digital reconstruction of the newly discovered Tiwanaku temple ruins in the Bolivian Andes. The above image shows a digital reconstruction of the newly discovered Tiwanaku temple ruins in the Bolivian Andes. José Capriles / Penn State During the time of the Tiwanaku civilization, the spot in which the newly discovered ruins were found connected three main trade routes. These included the highlands around Lake Titicaca to the north, the llama-herding plains of the Altiplano to the west and the agriculturally rich valleys of Cochabamba to the east. After noticing an unmapped plot of land in the area, researchers from Penn State University and Bolivian institutions used satellite images and 3D reconstruction techniques to create a detailed rendering of the structure and its topography. They found that Palaspata was approximately the size of a city block, and its layout was aligned to perform rituals following the solar equinox. "Most economic and political transactions had to be mediated through divinity, because that would be a common language that would facilitate various individuals cooperating," Capriles said in the study. According to the mayor of the municipality of Caracollo, Ventura Guarayo, these archaeological findings are significant because they highlight a crucial aspect of the local heritage that had been completely overlooked. "This discovery is vital for our community, and we believe its documentation will be invaluable for promoting tourism and showcasing our region's rich history" he said in a statement, adding that the city is working with state and national authorities to ensure proper protection and preservation of the site. "With more insight into the past of this ancient site, we get a window into how people managed cooperation, and how we can materially see evidence of political and economic control," Capriles added. "There's still so much to discover that we don't know about, and that could be hiding in plain sight. It just requires opening your eyes to see what's out there." While the reason behind the collapse of the Tiwanaku civilization still remains a mystery, archaeologist Luis Miguel Callisaya told the BBC that the most widespread hypothesis is an environmental crisis that led to a prolonged drought. To back this theory, scientists even found the bones of 19 women thought to have been sacrificed to the gods in exchange for rain. However, very little is still known about this ancient civilization, in fact, less than 10 percent of their ruins have to this day been excavated. Do you have a science story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about the Tiwanaku civilization? Let us know via science@ Reference Capriles, J. M., Maldonado, S. C., Calero, J. P., & Delaere, C. (2025). Gateway to the east: The Palaspata temple and the south-eastern expansion of the Tiwanaku state. Antiquity, 99(405), 831–849.
Newsweek
17-06-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Millions in Pennsylvania May Be Drinking Contaminated Water
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Millions of people in Pennsylvania may be drinking water contaminated with forever chemicals. This is the conclusion of a study from the Pennsylvania State University, which sampled water from 167 private wells across the state looking for so-called 'forever chemicals.' These manmade chemicals—properly known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—get their nickname from how they don't break down easily either in the environment, or in the body, risking a dangerous build up. The team found that 65 percent of the wells they tested had detectable levels of PFAS—with 18 percent exceeding the maximum contaminant levels for drinking water set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the researchers, some 3.5 million people in Pennsylvania rely on private wells to supply drinking water. A stock image of a man pouring a glass of water. A stock image of a man pouring a glass of highest concentrations of PFAS were detected in private wells in southeast Pennsylvania; PFAS were not detected in many of the wells sampled in the central or western regions. Paper author and Penn State civil engineer professor Heather Preisendanz said that her immediate reaction was "a little bit of relief" upon seeing the data. "We were happy that most of the numbers we saw were within the drinking water standards," Preisendanz said. "Only 18 percent of the wells had levels that were higher than the federal standards, but they weren't thousands of times higher than the drinking water standards, as we have seen in other places." Previous studies have found forever chemicals in soil, food, food packaging, household products, and personal care products. While most Americans have a relatively low exposure to PFAS, high enough levels could lead to decreased fertility, high blood pressure, increased risk of cancer, reduced immune system and increased cholesterol levels, according to the EPA. While the data reveals a possible link between PFAS levels and socio-economic status, the nature of this correlation may not be what one might expect. The team found that lower income areas—with both higher levels of poverty and exposure to industrial sites—did not show higher PFAS contamination levels, but wealthier areas did. The study was conceived to monitor whether the use of sewage sludge, or "biosolids," as fertilizers and soil additives might be increasing PFAS contamination in drinking water. However, the team did not find higher PFAS levels in wells near agricultural areas that made use of such treated wastewater. Conversely, developed land with "constructed materials and impervious surfaces" was also more likely to contain PFAS. Much PFAS contamination can be treated with at-home technologies, Preisendanz noted. Concerned Pennsylvanians, she added, are recommended to test their water supply, however, as the results are not certain to be representative of all the private wells across the state. The EPA has established legally enforceable levels (known as "Maximum Contaminant Levels") for six PFAS found in drinking water. Public water systems have five years to implement solutions to reduce the PFAS, and by 2029, they will be required to notify the public of any violations. Newsweek has contacted Preisendanz for comment via email. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about PFAS? Let us know via science@ Reference Kosiarski, K., Veith, T. L., Kibuye, F. A., Fetter, J., Boser, S., Vanden Heuvel, J. P., Thompson, C. L., & Preisendanz, H. E. (2025). Geospatial and socioeconomic factors of PFAS contamination in private drinking water wells: Insights for monitoring and management. Journal of Environmental Management, 388.
Metro
16-06-2025
- Science
- Metro
Mysterious radio pulses coming from below the Antarctic ice
Scientists have detected a series of unusual signals from beneath the ice in Antarctica. Researchers from the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) were baffled to find the signals coming from the ground at seemingly impossible angles. The study used a range of instruments mounted on air balloons flown above the ice-packed continent Publishing their findings in Physical Review Letters, scientists believe the discovery suggests the existence of unknown types of particles or interactions. The steep angles, at around 30 degrees below the ice, cannot be explained by the current understanding of particles. Stephanie Wissel, associate professor of physics, astronomy and astrophysics, said researchers were struggling to explain how the signals reached the detectors through thousands of kilometres of rock. She said: 'It's an interesting problem because we still don't actually have an explanation for what those anomalies are, but what we do know is that they're most likely not representing neutrinos. Neutrinos are tiny particles found everywhere in the universe but are notoriously difficult to detect. They are often emitted by high-energy sources such as the Sun or major cosmic events like supernovas. Wissel added: 'You have a billion neutrinos passing through your thumbnail at any moment, but neutrinos don't really interact. 'But it's a double-edged sword problem. If we detect them, it means they have travelled all this way without interacting with anything else. We could be detecting a neutrino coming from the edge of the observable universe.' ANITA, one of the few detectors designed to spot tiny particles, was set up in Antarctica, where few objects can interfere with signals. But analysis found the pulses discovered under the ice in Antarctica are 'anomalous' meaning they did not match standard particle physics. More Trending The Pennsylvania State University is now developing a more powerful detector called PUEO, which could shed more light on what the signals detected are. Wissel said the new technology would be able to pick up both neutrinos but also more anomalies, but until then, the unknown signals were 'one of these long-standing mysteries'. She said: 'My guess is that some interesting radio propagation effect occurs near ice and also near the horizon that I don't fully understand, but we certainly explored several of those, and we haven't been able to find any of those yet either.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Killer Asian needle ants are invading the US MORE: Here's why Keir Starmer thinks technology will actually make us 'more human' MORE: The 'Gate to Hell' has been open for 50 years but is finally burning out
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Strange Radio Signals Detected Emanating From Deep Under Antarctic Ice
Nearly two decades ago, an experiment floating high above Antarctica caught a weird signal. Designed to capture the radio spurts of cosmic rays falling from above, in 2006 the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) recorded a short pulse of radio waves from below – an event that looked like an upside-down shower of cosmic rays, not bouncing off the surface, but emanating from under the ice sheet. The balloon-borne suite of instruments recorded a similar event in 2014, and scientists have been scratching their heads ever since. No explanation quite fits, suggesting that the culprit could be a particle unknown to science. "The radio waves that we detected were at really steep angles, like 30 degrees below the surface of the ice," explains astrophysicist Stephanie Wissel of Pennsylvania State University. "It's an interesting problem because we still don't actually have an explanation for what those anomalies are, but what we do know is that they're most likely not representing neutrinos." The signal itself, a very brief pulse of radio waves, is very similar to what we might see from an elusive tau neutrino, but there are several reasons neutrino interpretation of the signal is difficult to resolve. Scientists thought that such a neutrino may come from a supernova that then tunnels its way right through Earth and comes out the other side. However, only the 2014 detection coincided with a supernova that could be responsible – no such event was found for the 2006 detection. In addition, the steep angle of the detection means that the neutrino would have had to tunnel through rock before emerging from the ice. Neutrinos stream through matter all the time; it's what they do, and why we call them 'ghost particles'. That's not the problem. "You have a billion neutrinos passing through your thumbnail at any moment, but neutrinos don't really interact," Wissel says. "So, this is the double-edged sword problem. If we detect them, it means they have traveled all this way without interacting with anything else. We could be detecting a neutrino coming from the edge of the observable Universe." To help solve the mystery of the upward-propagating radio pulses, a large international team of researchers made a careful study of data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina, designed to study high-energy cosmic rays. They conducted simulations to determine how the ANITA events might appear in the Pierre Auger Observatory data, and combed through the observations from 2004 to 2018, looking for similar signals. They found nothing that explains the ANITA detections. However, in science, finding nothing often means finding something – even if that something is a narrower set of options. In this case, it means that the scientists could confidently rule out neutrinos as an explanation for the signals. However, that doesn't automatically mean we're looking at a new particle, either. We're going to need further observations, and hopefully new detections, to determine what it is that ANITA saw coming from the Antarctic ice. ANITA is retired; its last flight took place in 2016. A new Antarctic balloon experiment called the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO), the successor to ANITA, is due to commence operations soon. "My guess is that some interesting radio propagation effect occurs near ice and also near the horizon that I don't fully understand, but we certainly explored several of those, and we haven't been able to find any of those yet either," Wissel says. "So, right now, it's one of these long-standing mysteries, and I'm excited that when we fly PUEO, we'll have better sensitivity. In principle, we should pick up more anomalies, and maybe we'll actually understand what they are. We also might detect neutrinos, which would in some ways be a lot more exciting." The latest results were published in Physical Review Letters. Light Squeezed Out of Darkness in Surprising Quantum Simulation Physicists Actually Made The 'World's Smallest Violin' For a Serious Reason Spiral Magnetism Seen in Synthetic Crystal For The First Time
