The Unexplained Sounds That Cause Havana Syndrome
ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty ImagesEmbassy of the United State of America in Havana.
Science has revealed that certain frequencies can induce physical symptoms, much like with the Hum, including nausea, headaches, fatigue, and insomnia.
But in 2016, several dozen American diplomats and spies in Havana, Cuba were stricken with a series of ailments ranging in severity — all of whom reported hearing the weirdest noises beforehand.
Symptoms range from dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and anxiety to long-lasting cognitive difficulties and memory loss.
Known as Havana Syndrome, the first instances of the condition appeared in 2016. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the initial cases emerged during a time when the United States and Cuba were trying to mend their relationship, adding further strain to the developing ties between the countries.
However, cases of Havana Syndrome have since cropped up all over the world.
In 2018, the State Department reported potential cases in China before evacuating State Department employees from Guangzhou. That same year, Havana Syndrome reportedly affected diplomats in Russia, Poland, Georgia, and Taiwan.
In the autumn of 2021, the CIA evacuated an intelligence officer in Siberia for showing symptoms of Havana Syndrome. In October of that same year, two more Americans in Bogotá, Colombia were affected, as well as several in Geneva and Paris.
Havana Syndrome was initially believed to be the result of an attack by a sonic or acoustic weapon, but a later review from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined it was likely the result of pulsed radio-frequency energy.
Per NBC News, victims of Havana Syndrome also reported feeling the sensation of being hit by an invisible pressure wave while inside their homes, leading experts to question whether a portable microwave device could even cause such an intense burst.
The University of Pennsylvania later examined 40 affected individuals and found evidence of brain abnormalities in them.
Despite this, the CIA reported that it was unlikely that a foreign power was behind the alleged attacks and called the signs and symptoms of Havana Syndrome “genuine and compelling.”
The CIA panel also stated that they couldn’t attribute any of the core symptoms, or “Anomalous Health Incidents,” to any known medical or psychological condition.
