THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome

In December 2016, a US official in Havana went to the embassy medical centre to report a debilitating and confounding illness. The symptoms included headaches; nausea; hearing loss; problems with memory and vision. And its onset was characterized by hearing… something. A buzzing, hissing, grinding…sound. Soon, a second official came down with the same symptoms. Then a third. Then a fourth. By the time the story went public in summer 2017, dozens of US diplomats, as well as some Canadians, had come down with what was becoming known as “Havana Syndrome.” In recent years, The US agencies have failed to agree even on the basic premises. State department said it’s a “sonic device,” then rolled that back. The CIA have hinted microwave radiation might be involved. The FBI said there was no “there” there. Now they seem to be rolling that back as well. A new investigative podcast series — THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome—from Project Brazen and PRX, peels back the layers of one of the most bizarre mysteries of the modern age. In collaboration with Goat Rodeo, join us along with Spy Museum historian/curator Dr. Andrew Hammond for a live panel discussion with Nicky Woolf, investigative journalist and host of THE SOUND podcast; Marc Polymeropoulos, the CIA officer who suffered debilitating symptoms in Moscow; and Mark Zaid, the American attorney who says new victims are coming forward all the time. They’ll explore the wide variety of theories that have been put forward surrounding Havana Syndrome. Could it be caused by noisy crickets? Or mosquito spray? A mass delusion? Or a foreign attack?  After their conversation, guests ask Nicky, Marc and Mark for their insight into other aspects of the mystery they have come to know and understand so well. Tune in to the riveting new podcast, The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome series out now here or wherever you get your podcasts.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spy Museum’s upcoming VIRTUAL programs: Follow us: Facebook: Twitter: ​​​​​​​ Instagram: SpyCast: The International Spy Museum is an independent non-profit museum which documents the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage. It holds the largest collection of international espionage artifacts on public display. For museum tickets or for more information, visit: