Coming in from the Cold
Episode 45: The Moscow Signal and Havana Syndrome
In 2017, reports of the mysterious “Havana Syndrome” dominated the news. American diplomats around the world reported experiencing a variety of symptoms including hearing a sudden loud noise, pain in one or both ears, feeling of pressure or vibrations in the head, tinnitus, visual problems, vertigo, nausea and cognitive difficulties.
There is no consensus among American Intelligence agencies as to the cause of Havana Syndrome, but one theory is that directed microwave weapons could be responsible. While this might sound like science fiction, this story has a Cold War parallel, the Moscow Signal.
In today’s episode Peter Kornbluh and Bill Burr, from the National Security Archive, join Bill Rosenau to tell the story of the Moscow Signal and how the story parallels the Havana Syndrome.