Man, what is it with the government always using its spy beams to read our minds from outer space? What a drag, am I right? If only there was a product that could protect our thoughts from being spied upon, while also keeping our heads warm. Oh snap, that's the Shield: Signal Proof Headwear on Kickstarter. No really, this campaign has convinced people to basically pay for a tinfoil hat.
It almost goes without saying that this is dumb, but it's fascinatingly dumb. The premise is that people will don their Shield hat (available in a few equally useless styles) instead of a regular hat in order to protect their precious brain from the hazards of electromagnetic radiation, or as the creators insist on calling it, "electromagnetic smog." The hat allegedly uses a silver coated fabric layer to block electromagnetic waves. Check out this awkward video pitch.
This product tries to present the unfounded idea that electromagnetic signals are dangerous as a simple fact of life. The campaign lists cell phones, WiFi, satellites (presumably mind-reading ones), and microwaves as sources of dangerous radiation. They also threw cosmic rays in there because, why not? Let's forget for a moment that cosmic rays are actually high-energy particles and not electromagnetic waves. The creators cover themselves by saying the hat might not work 100% for all kinds of electromagnetic waves, but you know, pay them anyway.
To be clear, there is zero evidence that typical electromagnetic radiation can harm you. Even if it could, shielding only the top of your head doesn't seem like a sufficient way to protect yourself. Still, Kickstarter is happy to host this project and it looks like it'll pay off for the creators. They've earned over £9,000 of the £13,000 they wanted with two weeks to go. I really just have one question, though: If I wear this, will I still be able to pick up CIA transmissions on my fillings?