logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
41m 23s

Havana Syndrome

Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
About this episode
We’ve got a real mystery for you on Sawbones this week: Havana Syndrome. It’s either a secret beam being blasted at American diplomats . . . or a mass psychogenic illness . . . or a complete fabrication. Or anything in between? Yep, it’s a weird one. Hang in there. 
Up next
Apr 21
Sawbones: Milk, Part 1 - Lactose Intolerance
Why do some people have stomachaches when they drink or eat dairy products? Dr. Syndee and Justin talk about lactose and lactase to explain that it's really those who can drink milk who are the outliers and answer the very important question: is school milk racist? Music: "Medici ... Show More
41m 35s
Apr 7
Sawbones: Vitamin K
No, not the musical artist who sang the graduation song (that's Vitamin C). Vitamin K has been in the news a little bit lately because it's often given as a shot to newborns. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of its discovery, what it is for, why it's important, and why in the w ... Show More
36m 10s
Mar 31
Sawbones: Ranking TV Medical Shows
In celebration of Dr. Sydnee’s birthday, Justin brings a whole swath of medical show on TV since the year of her birth. From Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to Nip/Tuck to The Pitt, Dr. Sydnee ranks shows for their accuracy and entertainment value until she’s finisher her bathtub birth ... Show More
47m 33s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
Coming Soon: Havana Syndrome
A mysterious illness is knocking out US spies and diplomats all over the world, ruining US diplomacy with Cuba and leaving thousands of government officials afraid that they’ll be next. No one knows what’s causing the illness, who’s behind it, or if it’s even real. From VICE Worl ... Show More
3m 15s
Oct 2021
Havana Syndrome: the mystery illness spreading through America's embassies
It started with a high-pitched noise. Then, American diplomats started getting sick. Nausea, dizziness, confusion. Across the world, this strange syndrome is spreading. Is it an attack? A sophisticated weapon? In this episode, we investigate the mystery of the immaculate concussi ... Show More
40m 35s
Feb 2023
A mystery begins at the US Embassy in Havana
This is a preview of Project Brazen's latest investigative podcast, The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome. To listen to the rest of this episode, search for THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome, wherever you get your podcasts. In December 2016, a US official in Havana reported a ... Show More
16m 34s
Dec 2023
Havana Syndrome
<p>A sharp sound. Followed by body numbness. Difficulty speaking. Extreme head pain. Since 2016, U.S. officials across the world – in Cuba, China and Russia – have reported experiencing the sudden onset of an array of eerie symptoms. Reporters Adam Entous and Jon Lee Anderson try ... Show More
50m 20s
Oct 2021
Havana Syndrome: Over 200 Cases Documented Yet Cause Remains A Mystery
Since 2016, a number of U.S. diplomats and federal employees have reported symptoms of a mysterious illness, the so-called Havana Syndrome.The list of symptoms include hearing loud sounds, nausea fatigue, and dizzying migraines, among others. The cause of this mystery illness is ... Show More
12m 33s
Jan 2023
Introducing 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 ... Show More
2m 58s
Sep 2021
What we know about Havana Syndrome
tail spinning
19m 41s
Jun 2023
Sonic Poison? The Genesis of Havana Syndrome
CIA agents in Havana complaining of mental fog, dizziness and ear pain in 2016. Children in Miami in 1974, hyperventilating and wracked with abdominal pain. A medieval outbreak of the “dancing plague”. A chorus of meowing nuns. These mysterious and seemingly disparate events may ... Show More
37m 4s
Jan 2023
Havana Syndrome: A New Podcast from VICE
Today we are sharing an episode from one of our newest series – Havana Syndrome. In 2016, a mysterious, debilitating illness begins to afflict American diplomats and spies working abroad – first in Cuba, and then around the world. Victims report crippling neurological symptoms. S ... Show More
41m 4s
Sep 2021
Havana syndrome
Several years after US diplomats in Cuba claimed they were attacked by an invisible weapon, similar incidents continue to be reported around the world. Scientists haven’t been able to determine a definitive cause, but the possibilities point toward something just as mysterious as ... Show More
28m 23s