Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
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Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#2I just want to point out that this is an exceptionally well-researched and cited article, didn't expect that (which is funny - I just realized I set a lower standard for mainstream media than the tech blog posts I read that people write in their free time).
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#3I just want to point out that this is an exceptionally well-researched and cited article, didn't expect that (which is funny - I just realized I set a lower standard for mainstream media than the tech blog posts I read that people write in their free time).
(In response to your aside - if someone's writing about something in their free time they probably care about it so expecting a higher standard than you'd expect for someone grinding out a dime does make sense.)
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#4I just want to point out that this is an exceptionally well-researched and cited article, didn't expect that (which is funny - I just realized I set a lower standard for mainstream media than the tech blog posts I read that people write in their free time).
(In response to your aside - if someone's writing about something in their free time they probably care about it so expecting a higher standard than you'd expect for someone grinding out a dime does make sense.)
I’m not a fan of standard media, but I think that’s an unfair assumption. The least it is too general. I’m sure there are many journalists who care deeply about topics they write about.
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#5There is a point to bring: during the WWII and later cold war, Soviets were extremely vocal about untouchability of top political leadership, and immunities provided by Vienna convention being absolute. And they uphold that dearly.
Now my Western friends, try spending some time to think why they did so.
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#6I just want to point out that this is an exceptionally well-researched and cited article, didn't expect that (which is funny - I just realized I set a lower standard for mainstream media than the tech blog posts I read that people write in their free time).
I am sure the author appreciates that back-handed complement, I appreciate that you reinforce the facade of programmer arrogance in tech-pop.
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#7Okay I'm skeptical.
On the one side some 'bad other' could be using an undefined device to attack only American people, only in foreign lands, and for uncertain reasons. That narrative conveniently fuels paranoia and makes for good reading. Alternative explanations exist, based on well established medicine, which I think need air time, link below.
Now, I'm all for exciting stories but this one keeps being resurrected without evidence I'd find compelling (namely lesions on MRI, quantifiable deficits in function, or signs and symptoms that prove neural damage). Indeed all the features of this particular syndrome appear better explained by functional, rather than structural, disease.
Of course the possiblility of acoustic or electromagnetic weapons being used exists until proven otherwise, but in light of what is known, it seems unlikely to me.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/14/cuban-acoustic...
Declaration of interests: I've worked with Prof. Stone.
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#8“In dictatorships, you often have factions that think nothing of going against the general policy if it suits their needs. I think that’s a perfectly viable explanation.”
Frey.
I’m not sure that’s a thing unique to dictatorships at all.
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#9My spookometer isn't going off because of what happened with the diplomats, but why the story is covered so darn much in the news.
Re: Microwave Weapons Are Suspect in Ills of U.S. Embassy Workers
#10RF/Microwave EE here. I actually tried this on myself several years ago with no effect. Specifically 20W at C-band into a 10 dBi standard gain horn a few feet away, pulse mod to 1 kHz. That was still not near enough power density.
While it’s plausible, it would take a big effort to affect this many people. The peak power densities, as described in the paper, would be tens of W/cm^2; e.g. radar transmitters and big antennas.
To direct this power, you’d have to track someone with a high gain antenna, and once you are non line of sight, it would attenuate greatly. That, or you’d have to place covert equipment in close proximity, in many locations.
It would also be very easy to detect with basic test equipment, as the desired peak power levels are huge.
Maybe there could be some organ resonance effect with mmWaves, such as bones in the ear, but that is sketchy too.
Here is the link from the article:
https://braincontrolhedge.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/audito...