Throughout history, governments have secretly developed and maintained various advanced technologies, either for reasons of national security, strategic advantages or to avoid public scrutiny. Although many of these technologies remain classified, some have come to light over time, revealing surprising innovations and practices. Then, five technologies are presented that, at the time, they were secret and that governments would prefer that we do not know:
1. Surveillance Drones Programs
At the end of 2024, numerous drone sightings were reported on several U.S. states. America, especially in New Jersey. These incidents generated speculation about possible military manoeuvres or corporate experiments. After an investigation, it was revealed that these flights were part of the tests carried out by a coalition of technolurgical companies and government agencies to evaluate monitoring and response systems for air threats. The drones, equipped with advanced sensors, were elements of a surveillance program aimed at improving security in critical infrastructures. The lack of public information was attributed to national security reasons. Despite the official explanation, distrust persists in certain sectors of society and the debate on transparency in monitoring operations continues.
2. Human Radiation Experiments
In 1945, the United States Government introduced experiments to investigate the effects of radiation on the human body. The scientists administered plutonium doses to 18 people over two years, including patients with terminal illnesses, children and homeless people. One of the subjects was Ebb Cade, a Tennessee construction worker, who, after suffering an accident, was injected with plutonium without his consent. In the following years, more experiments were carried out in imprisoned, elderly and military persons, all of whom were exposed to radiation without their knowledge. These experiments remained secret for decades until they were revealed, generating deep distrust towards government practices.
3. Technology of Sigilo (Stealth)
The stealth technology, which allows aircraft to evade radar detection, was first used by the United States in the design of their “invisible” F-117 aircraft. Curiously, the theoria that allows to calculate the geometry to minimize the reflections of the radio waves was presented by the psychic Piotr Ufimtsev in 1962. Although in the Soviet Union these ideas were not applied at the time, the United States adopted them and developed them in secret, achieving a significant strategic advantage in the military sphere.
4. Massive surveillance and espionage programs
Over the years, multiple spying and mass surveillance programmes carried out by governments have been revealed without the knowledge or consent of their citizens. These leaks have included information on the collection of private communications data, espionage to global leaders and monitoring of activities in the line. These revelations have generated global debates on the privacy, security and balance between the two.
5. Use of Algorithms in Government Decisions
Algorithm systems are increasingly being used by governments to determine which people meet the conditions necessary to receive certain social aids, such as access to protected housing or social bonds. The lack of transparency in these systems and the possibility of discriminatory biases have generated concerns about the perpetuation of existing inequalities and the need for a thorough evaluation of these programmes.
These revelations underline the importance of governmental transparency and citizen surveillance to ensure that the development and use of advanced technologies is carried out in a realistic manner and for the benefit of society as a whole.
