Why doesn't a new Conda environment come with packages like numpy?
I don't know about "conda" environments but in general virtual environments are used to provide you a "unique" environment. This might include different packages, different environment variables etc. 
The whole point of making a new virtual environment is to have a separate place where you can install all the binaries ( and other resources ) required for your project. If you have some pre-installed binaries in the environment, doesn't it defeat the purpose of creating one in the first place?
The fact that you can create multiple environments helps you to separate binaries that might be needed by one and not by the other. 
For instance, if you are creating a project which requires numpy:1.1 but you have numpy:2.1 installed , then you have to change it. So basically, by not installing any other packages, they are not making assumptions about your project's requirements.
I am going through the painful process of learning how to manage packages/ different (virtual) environments in Python/Anaconda. I was told that Anaconda is basically a python installation with all the packages I need (e.g. numpy, scipy, sci-kit learn etc). 
However, when I create a new environment, none of these packages is readily available. I cannot import them when using PyCharm with the newly created environment. When I check the Pycharm project interpreter, or the anaconda navigator environments tab, It seems that indeed none of these packages are installed in my new environments. Why is this? It doesn't make sense to me to provide all these packages, but then not make them ready for use when creating new environments. Do I have to install all these packages manually in new env's or am I missing something?
Kindest regards, and thanks in advance.