A mysterious energy, so far undetectable, somehow on the attack... US CIA agents and diplomats in Cuba report being assailed in their homes by a strange sound and pressure. When they develop disturbing physical symptoms, fears grow that they are being targeted by a secret directed energy weapon. With no physical evidence, and the highest of stakes as historic US-Cuba tensions begin to thaw, the Americans have to fight to be believed.
Acclaimed presenters of the hit podcast West Cork, Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde investigate the strange phenomenon known as “Havana Syndrome” - in a series that delves into the clandestine world of global espionage and considers questions about the reputation of science, the corrosive potential of government secrets and the psychology of whistleblowers.
New episodes will be released weekly, wherever you get your podcasts, but if you are in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes a week early, first on BBC Sounds.
Credits Havana Helmet Club is written and presented by Jennifer Forde and Sam Bungey
Editor: Guy Crossman Story editing: Mike Ollove Producer: Larry Ryan Sound designer: Merijn Royaards Additional mixing: Peregrine Andrews Theme music: Tom Pintens, with additional music composed by Merijn Royaards Fact checking: Stanley Masters. Additional reporting: Isobel Sutton, Pascale Hardey Stewart and Stanley Masters Archive producers: Miriam Walsh and Helen Carr Production executive: Kirstin Drybrugh Editorial advisor: Jesse Baker
A mysterious energy, so far undetectable, somehow on the attack... US CIA agents and diplomats in Cuba report being assailed in their homes by a strange sound and pressure. When they develop disturbing physical symptoms, fears grow that they are being targeted by a secret directed energy weapon. With no physical evidence, and the highest of stakes as historic US-Cuba tensions begin to thaw, the Americans have to fight to be believed.
Acclaimed presenters of the hit podcast West Cork, Sam Bungey and Jennifer Forde investigate the strange phenomenon known as “Havana Syndrome” - in a series that delves into the clandestine world of global espionage and considers questions about the reputation of science, the corrosive potential of government secrets and the psychology of whistleblowers.
New episodes will be released weekly, wherever you get your podcasts, but if you are in the UK, you can listen to the latest episodes a week early, first on BBC Sounds.
Credits Havana Helmet Club is written and presented by Jennifer Forde and Sam Bungey
Editor: Guy Crossman Story editing: Mike Ollove Producer: Larry Ryan Sound designer: Merijn Royaards Additional mixing: Peregrine Andrews Theme music: Tom Pintens, with additional music composed by Merijn Royaards Fact checking: Stanley Masters. Additional reporting: Isobel Sutton, Pascale Hardey Stewart and Stanley Masters Archive producers: Miriam Walsh and Helen Carr Production executive: Kirstin Drybrugh Editorial advisor: Jesse Baker
When the Cubans announce an international science conference in Havana, American spies try to nip it in the bud, suspecting a sophisticated disinformation campaign. With politics and bad blood threatening to cloud out the science story, a group of scientists get together and a very different theory for Havana Syndrome is put forward.
Credits Havana Helmet Club is written and presented by Jennifer Forde and Sam Bungey Editor: Guy Crossman Story editing: Mike Ollove Producer: Larry Ryan Sound designer: Merijn Royaards Additional mixing: Ger McDonnell Theme music: Tom Pintens, with additional music composed by Merijn Royaards Fact checking: Stanley Masters. Additional reporting: Isobel Sutton, Pascale Hardey Stewart and Stanley Masters Archive producers: Miriam Walsh and Helen Carr Production executive: Kirstin Drybrugh Editorial advisor: Jesse Baker Commissioner: Dylan Haskins Assistant commissioners: Sarah Green and Natasha Johansson Archive sourced from NBC and El Ministerio de Salud Pública de Cuba
Havana Helmet Club is a Yarn production for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
This episode was edited and updated on 13th August 2025 to correct two factual errors in the original version, namely that we quote Dr Stephen Hampton not Dr Randal Swanson in relation to the first uPenn paper, and that 'Adam' did not attend Walter Reed hospital in relation to his symptoms.