In December 2021, a former FBI agent previously posted to Guangzhou in China began legal proceedings against the US government. The agent claimed the US Secretary of State and the Department of State hadn’t taken the situation seriously enough when, while in Guangzhou, the agent and his family had begun experiencing sudden headaches, dizziness, nosebleeds, memory loss and nausea.
It was the latest development in a saga that began to unfold in 2016 when dozens of staff at the US embassy in Cuba started describing similar symptoms, often accompanied by an ear-splitting sound and facial pain.
Depending on who you ask, so-called ‘Havana syndrome’ – which has reportedly affected over 200 US staff in Cuba, China, Germany, Austria, Russia and Serbia (there was also a suspected case in Washington) – is caused by a Russian sonic- or microwave-based weapon, or a textbook case of mass psychogenic illness.
The Russians deny having an acoustic weapon that can target the brain. But in 2020, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published a report in which they concluded that “many of the distinctive and acute signs, symptoms, and observations” described by US employees are “consistent with the effects of directed, pulsed radio frequency energy”. And in November 2021, the FBI admitted to having issued a formal warning to its staff about what it calls “anomalous health incidents”.
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COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
The theory behind marine cloud brightening is that brighter or whiter clouds reflect more sunlight back into space.
IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
A running streak, where you run every day without taking rest days, can be highly motivating and beneficial for overall fitness. Running is great cardiovascular exercise and isn't to be discouraged (and finding a routine with some consistency is great). Getting a bit of exercise as often as possible is also hugely beneficial for your mental health.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
The Mediterranean diet may help you live longer, especially if you also adopt the lifestyle of people living near the Med during the 1950s.
WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
The world's deepest blue hole (marine sinkhole) lies off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It's at least 420m (1,378ft) deep, but explorers still haven't found its bottom.
HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by glands in our bodies called the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It plays a critical role in various bodily functions, including regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation and helping the body respond to stress. While essential for our health, chronic elevation of cortisol levels can lead to several issues.
THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?