# First recordings of dangerous sonic noise that sickened people in Cuba. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 13, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689 "2017-10-13T00:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/21 "2017-10-13T23:02:41Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > We can still blame Vlad, though ? And Trump. Hell, let’s throw in Fidel, too. You don’t really believe he’s dead, do you? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/22 "2017-10-14T00:47:58Z")
My brain hurts, I hope I ain’t sick or something. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/23 "2017-10-14T02:35:19Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I say it’s a [mass psychogenic illness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_psychogenic_illness). Someone got sick and heard a funny sound from a buzzing transformer or whatever, falsely associated the two and told everyone in the office, and suddenly dozens get the same symptoms. The symptoms are of course all the sort of vague thing one associates with fake illnesses. This was my first thought as well. Reminded me of all the high school girls (somewhere back east?) that simultaneously became afflicted with Tourette’s, or the hospital employees that all got sick supposedly from a patient that came in. That was in [Riverside, CA.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Ramirez) ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/24 "2017-10-14T02:45:45Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I say it’s a [mass psychogenic illness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_psychogenic_illness). Someone got sick and heard a funny sound from a buzzing transformer or whatever, falsely associated the two and told everyone in the office, and suddenly dozens get the same symptoms. The symptoms are of course all the sort of vague thing one associates with fake illnesses. You’re not the only one, [apparently](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/12/cuba-mass-hysteria-sonic-attacks-neurologists). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/25 "2017-10-14T02:48:30Z")
> [@pohjonen](#): > > This was my first thought as well. Reminded me of all the high school girls (somewhere back east?) that simultaneously became afflicted with Tourette’s, or the hospital employees that all got sick supposedly from a patient that came in. Yeah–not to be too blunt, but I looked a bit to see if most of the victims were women. For whatever reason, girls and women are more prone to the problem (especially at roughly high school age). Couldn’t find any information, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/26 "2017-10-14T02:54:10Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > You’re not the only one, [apparently](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/12/cuba-mass-hysteria-sonic-attacks-neurologists). Good find. It would be interesting if it turns out to be a case of someone higher up ignoring reports from below for political reasons. A little too conspiratorial for my taste but by no means impossible. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/27 "2017-10-14T09:01:30Z")
I admit anything is possible. The US Embassy in Cuba was closed for over 50 years. I’d assume the State Department sent very experienced staff to reopen it. Then reach out to their counterparts in the Cuban Gov. Starting from scratch to establish a working relationship between the staff & officials of both governments. Not an easy assignment. People like this would have multiple postings throughout their career. They’ve been through some stressful situations before. They know the other gov. has bugs planted. Our experts scan the buildings for them. I don’t see them freaking out over some odd noises. Unless it really is effecting their health. Maybe Chefguy will post. He did embassy security. He knows the kinds of people that staff them. ---
**Author:** ![LongTimeLurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@LongTimeLurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LongTimeLurker)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689/28 "2017-10-15T16:51:10Z")
I can’t find the link but I saw where a Hotel in Cuba might also have been a source of an Audial attack. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-recordings-of-dangerous-sonic-noise-that-sickened-people-in-cuba/798689.md?page=1)