Live data from Hacker News

Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

theguardian.com

31–40 of 94 posts

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#31
post #9

This is such a fascinating (and disturbing) situation. And quite mysterious. High frequency ultrasound is used routinely in medicine and has never been shown to change brain tissue. Infrasound has some effect on tissue but its probably overstated. (the infamous 'brown note' [1]. Other sonic weapons rely on volume/amplitude. None of this seems to be the case here. Another really interesting point is the description of…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_auditory_effect This is the best bet I've seen since this story broke.

[deleted]

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#32
Could something like this alter human behavior? Maybe the goal wasn't to cause damage or to attract this much attention but was instead meant to induce erratic behavior or something.

(I'm venturing into tin-foil-hat-zone here because this article is really lacking any facts or details about the incident)

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#33
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's interesting is that we don't even know if this is a screw-up or intentional (and it could be both since multiple parties are involved). It really doesn't seem like an acoustic effect (as raised in the article) and may well be a modulated microwave since that would correspond both to the locality of the "noise" and brain effects. Or it could simply be very high powered. http://www.newsweek.com/russia-us-attack-…

The problem with this analysis is: what does Russia gain by doing this with a sonic mystery weapon? If Russia wanted to divide the US and Cuba by attacking diplomats, wouldn't a sniper be simpler and less obvious? Or paying some Cuban Nationals to physically attack diplomatic staff? Or just use of any known weapon/tool.

Mystery weapons allow for all sorts of deniability. With snipers and stuff there's always a pretty clear starting point for investigators to (attempt to) trace back to the source. That's much harder with this mystery weapon. It's possible that whoever is using has determined that keeping US/Cuba relations frosty is high enough priority to use their 'secret' weapon.

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#35
post #32

Could something like this alter human behavior? Maybe the goal wasn't to cause damage or to attract this much attention but was instead meant to induce erratic behavior or something. (I'm venturing into tin-foil-hat-zone here because this article is really lacking any facts or details about the incident)

[deleted]

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ultrasound is completely capable of not only affecting brain tissue, but destroying it. as with anything else: it's about the amount of energy you put into it. Focused ultrasound would be completely capable, and share the quality of being perceptable in the targeted region, and absent elsewhere. https://www.fusfoundation.org/diseases-and-conditions/neurol...

But generating that much energy requires a huge piece of equipment. For example, the unit used for the ablative technique you linked to is quite large and works only at very short distances. [image of device] https://www.israel21c.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/insight...

What about multiple devices where their respective waves converge at a specific point?

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#37
post #14

I think it's interesting that this was immediately framed as an "attack," with of course the implication being that the Cuban government attacked American diplomats, since Cuba has so much to lose from attacking diplomats and literally nothing to gain.

Cuba seems to be cooperating with the US during the investigation. Perhaps it was a false flag attack?

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ultrasound is completely capable of not only affecting brain tissue, but destroying it. as with anything else: it's about the amount of energy you put into it. Focused ultrasound would be completely capable, and share the quality of being perceptable in the targeted region, and absent elsewhere. https://www.fusfoundation.org/diseases-and-conditions/neurol...

Yes, but at which frequencies, power and more important, acoustic coupling with the skull?

Check out "parametric speakers".

Amazon has an assembled kit for sale: http://amzn.to/2AxtPBS

Also, more info from soundlazer.com, here: http://www.soundlazer.com/what-is-a-parametric-speaker/

Also, reminds me of the MacGyver (original) episode "Soft Touch"- where a Columbian drug cartel tortures a federal agent in a garage using high-decibel noise.

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#39
post #29
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_auditory_effect This is the best bet I've seen since this story broke.

Hey rootw0rm, all of your comments are autodead. Not sure what you did to deserve it, but this comment is additive here. Contact the admin to have rights restored.

Just go to the comment click "vouch" and it will go through.

Re: Brain abnormalities found in victims of US embassy attack in Cuba

#40
post #9

This is such a fascinating (and disturbing) situation. And quite mysterious. High frequency ultrasound is used routinely in medicine and has never been shown to change brain tissue. Infrasound has some effect on tissue but its probably overstated. (the infamous 'brown note' [1]. Other sonic weapons rely on volume/amplitude. None of this seems to be the case here. Another really interesting point is the description of…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_auditory_effect This is the best bet I've seen since this story broke.

Yeah, the descriptions they offer remind me of the few times I've “heard” meteorites plunging through the atmosphere: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2003/oct/23/research.h...
Post reply on HN