In a story that reads almost like science fiction, a Norwegian government scientist’s bold experiment has reignited one of the most contentious debates in the world of intelligence and medicine: the true cause—and even the reality—of Havana Syndrome. This mysterious condition, which first emerged among U.S. diplomats in Cuba in 2016, has left hundreds of American officials across the globe with unexplained neurological symptoms. Now, a secretive self-experiment in Norway has provided rare, if unsettling, physical evidence suggesting that pulsed-energy devices may indeed be capable of inflicting real harm on the human brain.
According to reports from The Washington Post, The Telegraph, and other outlets, the unnamed Norwegian scientist was, ironically enough, a skeptic of the directed-energy weapon theory. He set out in 2024 to build a device capable of emitting powerful pulses of microwave energy, convinced that exposing himself to the machine would prove once and for all that such technology was harmless. The apparatus, assembled using classified information and components allegedly sourced from a foreign government, was tested on himself under strict secrecy.
But the outcome was anything but reassuring. Instead of disproving the theory, the scientist quickly began to experience neurological symptoms eerily similar to those reported by victims of Havana Syndrome—head pressure, cognitive disruption, dizziness, and other troubling effects. As The Telegraph reported, he suffered brain damage and symptoms including extreme headaches, vertigo, memory loss, and hearing loss. The Norwegian government, deeply alarmed by the results, alerted the CIA and triggered at least two visits from Pentagon and White House officials eager to examine the device and its implications.
The episode has become a significant new clue in the decade-long effort to determine the cause of what the U.S. government now refers to as Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs). Since the first reports in 2016, hundreds of American diplomats and intelligence staff in more than 15 countries have described similar symptoms: dizziness, cognitive impairment, hearing disturbances, and lasting neurological complaints. Theories have ranged from psychological stress and environmental toxins to deliberate attacks using secret technology. But until now, no one had managed to demonstrate—however unintentionally—that pulsed microwave energy could directly induce such symptoms in a human subject.
According to India Today, the Norwegian experiment was particularly striking because the scientist involved was a prominent critic of the directed-energy hypothesis. He wanted to show that exposure to pulsed microwave radiation could not cause neurological harm. Instead, his experiment ended up suggesting the opposite. The device he constructed, reportedly based on foreign technical designs, was not identical to a separate foreign-made pulsed radio-frequency device later acquired by U.S. authorities, but both are now under scrutiny by defense experts.
Following the Norwegian government’s disclosure, delegations from both the Pentagon and the White House traveled to Norway in 2024 to study the device firsthand and discuss the findings with local officials. In December of that year, a group of specialists from the U.S. intelligence community and the White House administration also visited, according to KRLD News. Despite the dramatic outcome, U.S. officials have so far stopped short of drawing sweeping conclusions. One official familiar with the case told The Washington Post that the researcher's symptoms were not an exact match for a “classic” Havana Syndrome case, but others have argued the incident provides rare physical evidence that pulsed-energy devices can indeed affect human biology.
The debate among intelligence agencies remains fierce and unsettled. In 2022, a panel of experts commissioned by the Director of National Intelligence concluded that electromagnetic waves “plausibly explained” some AHI symptoms, though they emphasized significant gaps in information. That same year, an interim CIA assessment found it “very unlikely” that a foreign country was behind Havana Syndrome. But in early 2025, some agencies, including the NSA and the National Ground Intelligence Center, shifted their positions and acknowledged the possibility that a foreign actor could possess technology capable of producing biological effects consistent with some reported symptoms. The CIA and four other agencies, however, have maintained their stance that foreign involvement remains “very unlikely.”
Meanwhile, the Norwegian case has intensified debate among scientists, intelligence officials, and policy makers. Advocates of the directed-energy hypothesis point to the experiment as fresh evidence that concentrated microwave radiation can cause measurable neurological injury—a finding that could lend weight to claims that similar technology has been used against U.S. personnel overseas. “The incident strengthens arguments among some U.S. officials and scientists that pulsed electromagnetic devices can affect human biology,” India Today noted. Others, however, urge caution, highlighting that while the Norwegian scientist’s symptoms were serious, they do not perfectly mirror the range and severity of classic Havana Syndrome cases.
The origins of Havana Syndrome remain as murky as ever. The condition first came to light in 2016 when U.S. diplomats stationed at the embassy in Havana reported hearing strange sounds followed by headaches, dizziness, memory issues, and balance disturbances. Similar cases soon surfaced in China, Europe, and even Washington, D.C. Over the years, speculation has swirled about the possibility of targeted attacks by foreign powers, with Russia frequently named as a suspect. The Kremlin has consistently denied any involvement, and to date, no concrete evidence has emerged to prove that any foreign government orchestrated a campaign using directed-energy weapons.
Adding to the intrigue, there was speculation that the U.S. acquired such a device following the January 3, 2024, capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. An anonymous account, purportedly from one of Maduro’s bodyguards, described a powerful sonic wave that incapacitated security staff, leaving them bleeding from the nose and vomiting blood. Former President Donald Trump even hinted at the existence of a mysterious device, telling the New York Post: “The Discombobulator. I’m not allowed to talk about it. They never got their rockets off. They had Russian and Chinese rockets, and they never got one off. We came in, they pressed buttons and nothing worked. They were all set for us.”
For now, the Norwegian scientist’s ill-fated experiment stands as a cautionary tale and a rare data point in a field still dominated by speculation, secrecy, and frustration. While his self-inflicted injury does not confirm that American diplomats were targeted by a secret weapon, it does show that under certain conditions, pulsed microwave radiation can be biologically hazardous. As intelligence agencies continue to review lingering Havana Syndrome cases, the episode underscores the high scientific and geopolitical stakes—and the personal risks—surrounding the debate.
Whether the Norwegian case ultimately tips the balance of evidence in favor of the directed-energy theory or simply deepens the mystery, it has already made one thing clear: the search for answers about Havana Syndrome is far from over, and the stakes—for science, security, and those afflicted—remain as high as ever.