logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
16m 34s

A mystery begins at the US Embassy in Ha...

Brazen
About this episode

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 debilitating and confounding  illness. The symptoms included headaches; nausea; hearing loss; problems with memory and vision. 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 this deep dive investigation, journalist Nicky Woolf peels back the layers of one of the most bizarre mysteries of the modern age. THE SOUND is a story about spycraft, technology, and the brain, and how the Cold War, maybe, never really ended.

New episodes will be dropping in THE SOUND feed on Mondays, so subscribe there now to make sure you don’t miss an episode.

Recommended Episodes
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 buzzin ... Show More
2m 12s
Jan 2023
Meeting Nicky Woolf: Answering the Global Mystery of Havana Syndrome
What is Havana Syndrome? Nicky Woolf speaks with Project Brazen co-founder Tom Wright about his upcoming investigative podcast, THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome. Nicky shares his experience following the unexplained phenomenon from Havana to Washington DC, Miami, London, and ... Show More
6m 6s
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
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
Dec 2023
Havana Syndrome
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 to ... Show More
50m 20s
Sep 2022
Havana Syndrome Update, with Jack O'Brien
The story began, officially, in 2017 -- multiple US government employees stationed abroad began reporting eerily similar symptoms, ranging from mild discomfort to intense headaches and debilitating ringing in the ears. Soon this became known as "Havana Syndrome." So what, exactly ... Show More
1h 17m
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
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
Sep 2021
What we know about Havana Syndrome
What you need to know about “Havana Syndrome,” the mysterious illness affecting U.S. officials stationed around the world — and whether there’s anything the United States can do about it.  Read more: “Havana Syndrome” first popped up in 2016 when a group of people at the U.S. emb ... Show More
19m 41s
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