The Washington Post reports that an unnamed Norwegian government scientist built a pulse-energy microwave device and tested it on himself in 2024. Instead of proving safety, the experiment reportedly caused neurological symptoms similar to those linked to prior embassy incidents. The episode prompted visits from U.S. intelligence and State Department officials and ties into broader government interest, including a 2024 DHS procurement effort. Analysts caution the single incident does not prove foreign states are deploying directed-energy attacks.
Norwegian Scientist Builds 'Havana Syndrome'–Style Microwave Device, Tests It On Himself — And Suffers Neurological Harm
Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images
New reporting from The Washington Post says a Norwegian government scientist secretly developed a pulse-energy device — an approximation of the much-debated “Havana syndrome” microwave weapon — and tested it on himself in 2024. According to four people with knowledge of the incident, the experiment produced neurological symptoms rather than proving the technology harmless.
What Happened
Sources described the device as capable of emitting intense pulses of microwave energy. After assembling what he believed might be a working unit, the unnamed scientist grew skeptical that such pulses could meaningfully harm human health and reportedly aimed the device at himself to demonstrate safety. Instead, the device apparently disrupted his brain function and triggered a range of symptoms the report associated with past embassy incidents.
Symptoms And Medical Context
Medical experts generally avoid the label “Havana syndrome,” preferring the broader term “Anomalous Health Incidents”. Reported symptoms from earlier incidents involving U.S. and Canadian diplomatic staff in Havana included head or ear pain, dizziness or loss of balance, insomnia, confusion, persistent brain fog, emotional distress and nausea. The WaPo sources said the Norwegian scientist experienced neurological effects they linked to those reports, though one source told reporters the symptoms did not match the “classic” profile in every respect.
Government Response And Wider Significance
The episode prompted at least two visits from officials representing the CIA and the U.S. State Department, according to the reporting. It also arrives amid renewed government interest in pulsed-energy systems: earlier coverage detailed a 2024 Department of Homeland Security effort to procure a pulsed-radio device at a price described as in the eight-figure range.
Not Definitive Evidence: Sources and analysts emphasize that a functioning device built in a U.S. ally such as Norway does not demonstrate that foreign adversaries are openly deploying direct-energy weapons abroad. A 2023 assessment by five U.S. intelligence agencies concluded it was "highly unlikely" that the original Havana incidents resulted from a deliberate direct-energy attack.
Why This Still Matters
Although the Norwegian case does not resolve the debate over the origins of past embassy illnesses, it has reignited concern that pulsed microwave or directed-energy technologies could cause brain injury under some conditions. The incident underscores persistent scientific uncertainty and the political sensitivity surrounding anomalous health incidents involving diplomats and intelligence personnel.
Note: Reporting cited in this article came from The Washington Post and was attributed to people with knowledge of the events; details remain limited and some sources expressed skepticism about whether the symptoms align with previous cases.
For related coverage on government interest in exotic weapons, see: "There’s Not Enough Money in the World for Trump’s Golden Dome."
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