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This is one of the most bizarre developments I've witnessed in my life. If it's an attack, it's an entirely new method as far as I understand. Are there any cre

This is one of the most bizarre developments I've witnessed in my life. If it's an attack, it's an entirely new method as far as I understand. Are there any credible, highly possible theories on how this is happening or is it 100% speculation still?

res0nat0r 9y ago
I'm not sure of anything definitive, but a more credible explanation is that it is some type of sonic monitoring trying to spy upon diplomats via laser microphone or something such, which then happened to actually hurt people.
- booleandilemma 9y ago
  If this is true, why does the count of injured diplomats keep rising? Can’t they just shut the malfunctioning devices off? ...boosting the number of Americans affected this “sonic device” to 25 from 21, with reports of cases occurring in the last several weeks, according to two sources.
- UnoriginalGuy 9y ago
  If we're going to speculate, one could speculate that it was an anti-spying device which inadvertently caused these issues. If you want privacy you can either try to build isolated structures or rooms, or you can try to overwhelm the listener with noise. The US has employed both techniques previously. What if they were trialing a new defensive (anti-spying) technology that went wrong? The US government has certainly gone strangely quiet on this incident.
- zitterbewegung 9y ago
  If it was a laser microphone (or any microphone that used EM energy to monitor someone) it would require so much energy that you would not only melt whatever you pointed it at but also probably break it.
  - wnkrshm 9y ago
    Why, you only need to measure distance precisely to get the vibrations of a surface which is totally possible with a laser. Laser microphones do exist.
    - wavefunction 9y ago
      They do exist but the point raised is that for the laser microphone to induce the effects reported the laser would have to contain enough energy such that the laser would instead be so powerful that it vaporized any glass surface it was pointed at and overheat the laser source.
Florin_Andrei 9y ago
Seems like 99% sure this was not the intended outcome of whatever was originally done in that general region by whomever entity was the original author.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
einrealist 9y ago
If it is an attack, the question is 'why?'. It does not make sense. There is not much to gain. I wouldnt be surprised if this is some sort of self-inflicted infection or poisoning issue.
- jessaustin 9y ago
  If one wished to have some degree of control over USA diplomats, one could send them a secret message saying "I will do something bad in Cuba; my password is XYZ". Then later, one could send them demands with the same password. The State Department is probably more susceptible to this sort of coercion than e.g. the "Defense" Department.
- BartSaM 9y ago
  To screw relations between Cuba and US for example.
- taheca 9y ago
  Why? because whoever is doing it sees the opportunity. Our state department and government are weak right now. They are understaffed, and the chances of serious investigation/prevention on this don't seem high. Why, if you could test out a brand new technology AND eliminate some key foreign service officers from your main competitor geopolitically, why wouldn't you? This is a crime of opportunity.
  - einrealist 9y ago
    No, it does not make sense because personnel can be replaced and security can be increased. There is no lasting win to be gained.
- dragonwriter 9y ago
  > If it is an attack, the question is 'why?'. To sour US-Cuban relations. Russia, Venezuela, China, and some others could plausibly be interested in doing it for that reason.
  - 9y ago
Iv 9y ago
My money is on some stupid miscommunication between services. Someone is operating a secret microwave link that they won't shut down because information/instructions have not circulated correctly.
- modzu 9y ago
  right? has everyone forgotten occam's razor??
  - spurcell93 9y ago
    More appropriately, Hanlon's Razor. (To be an internet pedant)
    - modzu 9y ago
      :thumbsup:
Vadoff 9y ago
Should be pretty easy to prove if these sonic attacks are real + when they happen with the assistance of a device that can record sound. A simple laptop would probably suffice.

res0nat0r 9y ago

I'm not sure of anything definitive, but a more credible explanation is that it is some type of sonic monitoring trying to spy upon diplomats via laser microphone or something such, which then happened to actually hurt people.

booleandilemma 9y ago
If this is true, why does the count of injured diplomats keep rising? Can’t they just shut the malfunctioning devices off? ...boosting the number of Americans affected this “sonic device” to 25 from 21, with reports of cases occurring in the last several weeks, according to two sources.
UnoriginalGuy 9y ago
If we're going to speculate, one could speculate that it was an anti-spying device which inadvertently caused these issues. If you want privacy you can either try to build isolated structures or rooms, or you can try to overwhelm the listener with noise. The US has employed both techniques previously. What if they were trialing a new defensive (anti-spying) technology that went wrong? The US government has certainly gone strangely quiet on this incident.
zitterbewegung 9y ago
If it was a laser microphone (or any microphone that used EM energy to monitor someone) it would require so much energy that you would not only melt whatever you pointed it at but also probably break it.
- wnkrshm 9y ago
  Why, you only need to measure distance precisely to get the vibrations of a surface which is totally possible with a laser. Laser microphones do exist.
  - wavefunction 9y ago
    They do exist but the point raised is that for the laser microphone to induce the effects reported the laser would have to contain enough energy such that the laser would instead be so powerful that it vaporized any glass surface it was pointed at and overheat the laser source.

Florin_Andrei 9y ago

Seems like 99% sure this was not the intended outcome of whatever was originally done in that general region by whomever entity was the original author.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

einrealist 9y ago

If it is an attack, the question is 'why?'. It does not make sense. There is not much to gain. I wouldnt be surprised if this is some sort of self-inflicted infection or poisoning issue.

jessaustin 9y ago
If one wished to have some degree of control over USA diplomats, one could send them a secret message saying "I will do something bad in Cuba; my password is XYZ". Then later, one could send them demands with the same password. The State Department is probably more susceptible to this sort of coercion than e.g. the "Defense" Department.
BartSaM 9y ago
To screw relations between Cuba and US for example.
taheca 9y ago
Why? because whoever is doing it sees the opportunity. Our state department and government are weak right now. They are understaffed, and the chances of serious investigation/prevention on this don't seem high. Why, if you could test out a brand new technology AND eliminate some key foreign service officers from your main competitor geopolitically, why wouldn't you? This is a crime of opportunity.
- einrealist 9y ago
  No, it does not make sense because personnel can be replaced and security can be increased. There is no lasting win to be gained.
dragonwriter 9y ago
> If it is an attack, the question is 'why?'. To sour US-Cuban relations. Russia, Venezuela, China, and some others could plausibly be interested in doing it for that reason.
- 9y ago

Iv 9y ago

My money is on some stupid miscommunication between services. Someone is operating a secret microwave link that they won't shut down because information/instructions have not circulated correctly.

modzu 9y ago
right? has everyone forgotten occam's razor??
- spurcell93 9y ago
  More appropriately, Hanlon's Razor. (To be an internet pedant)
  - modzu 9y ago
    :thumbsup:

Vadoff 9y ago

Should be pretty easy to prove if these sonic attacks are real + when they happen with the assistance of a device that can record sound. A simple laptop would probably suffice.