A Norwegian scientist’s self-experimentation with a device intended to disprove Havana Syndrome ended with unexpected consequences.
Havana Syndrome, also referred to as anomalous health incidents (AHIs), has reportedly affected up to 1,500 US government personnel since its first reports in 2016, according to the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
The condition is believed to be triggered by an unidentified loud noise, leading to severe cognitive issues such as balance problems, insomnia, and headaches.
Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA employee, is among the individuals who have suffered from the syndrome.
In an essay for The Insider, he recounted how a 2017 business trip to Moscow, Russia resulted in waking up in his hotel room with extreme vertigo, tinnitus, and nausea, leaving him barely able to stand.
After experiencing another episode days later, his symptoms intensified upon returning home, transforming into chronic headaches, brain fog, vision issues, persistent pain, insomnia, sleep apnea, anxiety, and depression.
Although not officially recognized as a legitimate health condition, the US government has initiated another investigation into the origins of this mysterious ailment.
In 2024, as reported by the Washington Post, a Norwegian government scientist constructed a microwave device similar to those investigated in relation to Havana Syndrome, aiming to show they were ‘harmless to humans’. However, he experienced neurological symptoms akin to the syndrome after using it on himself.
People familiar with the situation described the Norwegian test, previously undisclosed, which was reportedly communicated to the CIA and led to visits from Pentagon and White House officials in 2024, as per the publication.
While the experiment doesn’t conclusively link the incidents to a foreign adversary, sources believe it highlights the potential health impacts of pulsed-energy devices.
The initial cases of Havana Syndrome were reported in Cuba in 2016, involving sudden, mysterious, and debilitating symptoms. By late 2017, similar reports emerged globally from places such as Russia, China, Australia, and Colombia.
The US Defence Department has spent a year investigating a device secretly acquired by Homeland Security Investigations, which some officials suggest might be connected to the syndrome, as reported by CNN.
This device, valued at ‘eight figures’, emits pulsed radio waves and incorporates Russian components, though it is not entirely of Russian origin. Its portability, small enough to fit in a backpack, raises concerns about its secretive use.
While the device’s investigation continues and its link to unexplained illnesses is debated within the government, this development has reignited discussions about whether Havana Syndrome could be caused by an energy weapon.
The CIA has been approached for comment.