Earlier this year the CIA reported that it was still investigating two dozen cases of Havana Syndrome — debilitating seizures, dizziness, and other symptoms suffered by American diplomats, first in Havana, Cuba, later in China and Vienna — to determine whether they could have been caused by a new kind of weapon surreptitiously aimed at the embassy personnel. Science author Mark Alpert joined Ian Punnett (Twitter) to discuss Havana Syndrome and its possible cause, as well as issues related to climate change, both of which are covered in his latest thriller, The Doomsday Show.

Alpert called Havana Syndrome a fascinating scientific mystery. The first reports emerged from Havana in November of 2016. The onset of ill effects seemed to be highly localized, and if one physically moved away from the area where the symptoms started, they would get relief, he explained. In many of the cases, there were no pre-existing conditions nor environmental causes to explain the symptoms, Alpert added. He reported on the Soviet Union's use of directed microwave weapons against the American Embassy during the 1960s and 1970s. A panel of scientists recruited by U.S. intelligence agencies concluded a microwave weapon is a plausible explanation, he continued, noting it is now possible to create a directed-energy weapon the size of a suitcase and aim it at someone inside a building.

Regarding climate change, Alpert pointed out how global warming will not affect the world equally, and people who do not reside in first-world nations will be hurt more than others. As these people suffer, they will become angry at developed countries for continuing to put greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and this could lead to asymmetric warfare and eco-terrorism, he suggested. "That's what I'm trying to warn people against in this book that eventually certain people will say we have to do something about this... we're going to start blowing up airlines, we're going to start sinking cruise ships, and we're going to start assassinating the heads of the largest coal and oil companies," Alpert said.

He also commented on worries over the planet reaching a tipping point which could cause irreversible heating. Numerous times in the Earth's history have been punctuated with sudden cool-offs and warm-ups. "We may be on the brink of that happening again unless we quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Alpert cautioned

Haunted Scotland / Ukraine Update

In the first half-hour, medium and paranormal researcher Chris Fleming talked about his 'Haunted Scotland' show on Discovery+. One of Fleming's investigations in Scotland took him underground into the Edinburgh Vaults. "As we were in the vaults... we started hearing some clanking of chains," he reported. According to Fleming, he uncovered a legend about a man with a key and a ring who once wandered the vaults. During the latter half of the first hour, Ukrainian gymnast and entertainer Nadya Vasina provided an update from Ukraine. She commented on the partial destruction of the Crimean Bridge, which was both strategic and symbolic since it connected Crimea to the Russian mainland, as well as Putin's threat of nuclear war and why he has nothing to lose.