Buzz
In times of conflict, the saying 'all's fair in love and war' rings true, with every available resource being wielded as a weapon. Sound, too, finds its place in this strategy. Think of the haunting image from Apocalypse Now, where military helicopters blast 'Ride of the Valkyries' as they swoop over Vietnam, creating a powerful sonic assault. Sound-based warfare has long been a tool in real-world conflicts.
Recently, Israel's military has rolled out the 'Scream,' an acoustic weapon, to disperse Palestinian protesters along the Gaza border. A similar tactic was seen when riot police used sound cannons to control crowds during the Ferguson protests. However, the concept of weaponizing sound dates far earlier, from the 1970s Troubles in Northern Ireland to Nazi propaganda music during World War II.
From intense ultrasonic waves to the chaos of blaring Guns N' Roses tracks, the history of acoustic weaponry is rich and complex. Here are ten remarkable instances where sound was used with destructive force.
10. The Downfall of Manuel Noriega
General Manuel Noriega was a dominant and feared figure in Latin American politics. Serving as the de facto ruler of Panama for most of the 1980s, he developed a reputation for being a brutal and authoritarian dictator, often compared to the infamous Augusto Pinochet. His alleged crimes included intimidating political adversaries, orchestrating drug smuggling operations to Miami, and the torture and execution of physician Hugo Spadafora.
At first, Noriega had been a staunch ally of the United States, assisting under Nixon in securing the release of two American freighters from Cuba. Over time, however, tensions grew, and in 1989, amid accusations of drug trafficking and election fraud, the US launched a military invasion of Panama. Noriega sought refuge in the Vatican embassy in Panama City.
US forces quickly surrounded the embassy, and on Christmas Day 1989, began a psychological warfare campaign aimed at forcing Noriega’s surrender. The US Army blasted a non-stop playlist of rock and heavy metal music through loudspeakers aimed at the embassy. Tracks such as The Clash's 'I Fought The Law' and Van Halen's 'Panama' were strategically chosen to humiliate the dictator. After three days of continuous exposure, the music ceased, and Noriega surrendered on January 3, 1990.
The United States has employed similar tactics on several occasions. During the 1993 Waco siege, Texas law enforcement reportedly played loud pop music and Tibetan chants to pressure the Branch Davidian cult. In 2010, during a military campaign in Afghanistan, US Marines reportedly used music by Metallica and Thin Lizzy, blasting it for hours into the villages of Marjah.
9. The Israeli Scream
When it comes to cutting-edge military technology, Israel is recognized as one of the global leaders. In fact, in 2017, the New York Post hailed the country for having 'the most technologically advanced military on Earth.' The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been at the forefront of numerous innovations in recent years. From unmanned vehicles patrolling the borders with Gaza and Syria to Israeli spy satellites keeping an eye on distant enemies, Israel's technological prowess is undeniable. In 2000, the nation unveiled the Arrow system, the first effective ballistic missile interception technology.
Among the IDF’s groundbreaking creations is the sonic weapon known as the Scream. This less-than-lethal tool made its debut in 2011, aimed at quelling protests against the ongoing occupation. The high-tech device unleashed powerful sonic pulses at protesters near a checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah, causing them to experience nausea and dizziness as they were bombarded with sound waves.
8. The Squawk Box in Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland issue has been a long-standing point of contention within the UK, a conflict that continues to this day. As the violence of the Troubles escalated in the 1970s, tensions reached a breaking point. In January 1973, just a year after the tragic Bloody Sunday incident where 14 civilians were killed by the British Army, widespread rioting broke out in the streets of Derry. Throughout the year, reports of civilian deaths from bombings surfaced nearly every week.
In an effort to suppress the growing resistance, the British Army created a sonic weapon they claimed could ‘non-violently’ disperse crowds. The device emitted two ultrasonic waves that, while harmless when isolated, combined in the ear to create an overwhelming, ear-piercing sound. The frequencies were just audible enough to be noticed, but together they produced a painful effect. Many individuals exposed to it reported dizziness and nausea, with some even fainting.
This sonic weapon, dubbed the Squawk Box, was believed to have been developed by a team stationed at a military base in Lisburn, a short distance from Belfast. The device was praised for its accuracy, able to target specific individuals with precision during a riot.
Although New Scientist magazine covered the development of the Squawk Box at the time, the British Army kept details about the device largely secret. The precise range and power of the weapon remain unknown, as does the total number of occasions it was used.
7. Havana Syndrome
From the moment Fidel Castro and his revolutionary comrades expelled General Fulgencio Batista from Cuba, the United States has used every tool at its disposal to try to topple the socialist regime. Although the Bay of Pigs invasion ended in failure, the US-imposed embargo has heavily restricted Cuba's access to trade and tourism, costing the island an estimated $130 billion. Other US efforts against the Cuban government have seemed straight out of a James Bond film. In the 1960s, the CIA's unsuccessful assassination attempts on Castro included plans to poison his ice cream, lace his cigars with hallucinogens, and even hide a hypodermic needle inside a pen.
In more recent years, it appears that US government personnel in Havana have also been targeted. As tensions between the US and Cuba have grown, accusations have arisen regarding strange occurrences of possible sonic attacks: Havana Syndrome. Between late 2016 and August 2017, employees at the US Embassy in Havana suffered various neurological symptoms after hearing a high-pitched whining sound in their homes and hotels. A total of 24 diplomats reported nausea, dizziness, and headaches, with many enduring long-lasting effects like cognitive dysfunction and sleep disturbances.
The US initially claimed that these health issues were the result of a highly sophisticated acoustic assault. It was especially alarming that a group of people, all with no previous head injuries, experienced similar symptoms at nearly the same time. The suspicions grew stronger after US officials released a recording of buzzing drone-like noises to the Associated Press. Government sources speculated that a third nation might be behind the attacks, possibly aiming to deepen the rift between the US and Cuba.
However, after an investigation by the University of Pennsylvania, some scientists began to question whether the illnesses were truly caused by an external sound. Some experts even suggested that the recorded noise was not produced by an audio device at all but was, in fact, the mating call of a Caribbean cricket.
6. The Mosquito Alarm
The Mosquito Alarm is a contentious device designed to drive groups of teenagers away from public places. Introduced in Britain over a decade ago, this alarm emits an irritating high-pitched sound that is believed to be audible only to those under 25. In less than ten minutes, the screeching noise is said to be enough to send loiterers off from areas like parking lots or shop fronts. Having experienced it as a teenager in Britain, I can confirm that it's an unbearable metallic shriek.
Unsurprisingly, the ear-piercing Mosquito has attracted its share of critics. The advocacy group Liberty, based in the UK, has argued that the alarm violates the basic human rights of young people. Several activists have called for it to be banned, as it causes distress to young passersby, even those with no intention to loiter. The sound affects under-25s, including those with sensitive hearing, such as babies and children with autism.
Thousands of these Mosquito alarms have been sold in the UK, with police forces and local authorities among the buyers. While only a few cities, like Edinburgh and Kent, have decided to ban the Mosquito, the ongoing objections haven’t stopped the alarm from continuing its buzz.
5. Deterring Pirates
Acoustic weapons are frequently used by ships to defend themselves against pirate attacks, and on certain occasions, they've proven to be highly effective. In November 2005, when the Seabourn Spirit cruise ship was targeted by pirates off the coast of Somalia, the security team successfully repelled the attackers using a sonic cannon and a high-pressure water hose. Under fire from grenades and rocket launchers, security officer Michael Groves deployed a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) to protect over 300 passengers aboard. Groves and his colleague, Som Bahadur Gurung, who was injured during the confrontation, were later honored by the Queen for their bravery.
Although the LRAD proved successful for the Seabourn Spirit, a US chemical tanker experienced a different outcome a few years later. In 2008, pirates launched a brutal assault on M/V Biscaglia near Somalia's waters, and when the crew activated their sonic weapon, the attackers simply ignored it. The security team later told the British newspaper The Mirror: 'We thought it would make the pirates retreat, but they just laughed. It was completely ineffective.'
While pirates wielded automatic assault rifles, the security team aboard Biscaglia had to resort to using scaffolding poles and flare guns in an attempt to defend the ship. Ultimately, their only choice was to leap off the tanker into the water, dropping 15 meters (50 feet) to escape death.
4. Nazi Propaganda Music
Germany boasts a rich legacy of esteemed classical composers, including legends such as Beethoven, Bach, and Wagner. The country's musical heritage runs so deep that some have gone so far as to label music 'the most German of the arts.' As a result, music played a pivotal role in the propaganda efforts of the Third Reich.
In the 1930s, the rise of modern music genres such as swing and jazz was condemned as degenerate by various segments of German society. These musical styles, often performed by Jewish and African-American artists, were seen by nationalists as a sign of cultural decline, which they were determined to reverse in favor of traditional German values.
With clear opposition to contemporary music trends, the Nazi Party harnessed music to fuel nationalist feelings and promote what they considered to be the core values of German tradition. Furthermore, music became an essential tool for attracting new followers. During WWII, songs praising Hitler and the Third Reich were commonly sung at rallies, with the anti-Soviet anthem 'Horst-Wessel-Lied' being especially popular. The Hitler Youth even set up their own expansive music program.
The Nazi regime's use of cultural propaganda was highly successful in boosting morale and garnering support for their far-right political ideology. Joseph Goebbels famously remarked: 'Music affects the heart and emotions more than the intellect. Where then could the heart of a nation beat stronger than in the huge masses, in which the heart of a nation has found its true home?'
3. CIA Torture
In 2014, the Senate Intelligence Committee released a detailed report exposing numerous shocking and troubling details about CIA torture methods. Among the most controversial disclosures was the use of 'sound disorientation techniques' at the COBALT facility, a practice similar to those used at Guantanamo Bay in 2008. The report outlines how prisoners were shackled in dark cells and subjected to loud music played for long hours to prevent sleep. This psychological strategy was designed to confuse and intimidate the detainees, ultimately aiming to break their will and force submission.
Furthermore, certain songs were employed as part of a psychological conditioning process to signal to prisoners that another round of torture was about to begin. For instance, before interrogating suspected terrorist Ramzi bin al-Shibh, interrogators would play the Blues Brothers' 'Rawhide.' The CIA particularly favors traditional American music genres like metal and country for this purpose. These musical styles are selected because their foreign, unfamiliar sounds are especially disorienting to Middle Eastern detainees, amplifying the torment.
2. US Riot Police
In recent years, sound cannons have become a powerful tool for law enforcement in the United States to intimidate and disperse crowds. The anger that erupted after the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown led to massive protests. In Ferguson, Missouri, people flooded the streets, protesting the killing of another young black man by the police.
To control the protests, police used an LRAD, similar to the device employed against Somali pirates. The device first issues loud verbal commands for people to vacate the area, followed by an ear-piercing deterrent sound. The LRAD 500X-RA has a range of over 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) and can reach a staggering 149 decibels. For context, sounds over 120 decibels cause discomfort, and exposure to over 130 decibels can result in hearing damage.
This was not the first instance of a US police force using a sound cannon to clear demonstrators. Similar methods were deployed by the NYPD during the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011, and in 2016, LRADs were used multiple times as police escalated their tactics against protesters opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline.
1. Wildlife Preservation
Sonic weapons are not just used on humans—they are also employed to manage wildlife. Around the world, sound cannons emit harsh noises to drive animals away and reduce damage caused by wildlife. Some of these devices can even be programmed to imitate the sound of predators to further deter animals.
Wind farms, oil rigs, and vineyards are among the industries utilizing acoustic systems to safeguard their operations from potential threats. For instance, LRAD units have significantly contributed to reducing bird strikes at the Guglielmo Marconi Airport in Bologna, Italy, over the past decade. In another example, residents of Northern Canada have adopted these systems as a humane method of defending against polar bear attacks.
