logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
16m 12s

Havana syndrome: will we ever understand...

The Guardian
About this episode
In late 2016, US officials in Cuba’s capital began experiencing a mysterious and often debilitating set of symptoms that came to be known as Havana syndrome. As two new studies into the condition are published, Ian Sample speaks to the Guardian’s world affairs editor, Julian Borger, who has been following the story, and to the consultant neurologist Prof Jon ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
Revisited: Saunas and cold plunges, where does the evidence stand?
Saunas and cold plunge pools are popping up everywhere in the UK, bringing fiery heat and icy cold to a beach, city farm or park near you. Their users will be ready with all the reasons why it’s good for both the mind and the body. But what’s the evidence for the benefits of saun ... Show More
16m 13s
Jul 28
Revisited: The surprising science of dreams and nightmares
In this episode from January 2026, Ian Sample puts listeners’ questions about dreams and nightmares to Dr Michelle Carr, the director of the Dream Engineering Laboratory in Montreal’s Centre for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, and the author of the book Into the Dream Lab. T ... Show More
22m 6s
Jul 23
Revisited: A Scottish tea mystery, episode three – a bag for life
Science correspondent Nicola Davis investigates the strange story of Tam O’Braan and his attempts to grow tea in Scotland. In episode three of this mini-series first broadcast in October 2025, all of O’Braan’s lies come to a head and it is revealed where he was sourcing the tea b ... Show More
20m 26s
Recommended Episodes
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 2021
What we know about Havana Syndrome
tail spinning
19m 41s
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 Pt. 1
A mysterious ailment emerged in 2016 that affected American diplomats stationed in Havana, Cuba. Victims reported vertigo, headaches, vision problems, and hearing loss. Some experts believed Cuba was behind the attacks. But then cases expanded to more than 130 countries across th ... Show More
41m 45s
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 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
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
Dec 2024
The Mysterious Havana Syndrome
Noel and Ben (and, briefly, Matt) of Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know drop by to talk about the strange and mysterious Havana syndrome. Were US government employees the victim of a directed attack that made them feel sick and ill at ease, or was it all in their heads? We look at ... Show More
1h 11m
Jan 2023
Sanjay investigates “Havana Syndrome” Pt. 2
Dr. Sanjay Gupta travels to Cuba to investigate one of the most complex and controversial brain mysteries in recent years known as "Havana Syndrome." First reported by two dozen U.S. officials in Havana, Cuba starting in 2016, these unexplained health incidents have since multipl ... Show More
25m 1s