Secrets: China's proposed mega-embassy, a diplomatic gift that spied for years; finding hidden cameras in Airbnbs

A proposed Chinese embassy (with secrets) is drawing scrutiny in London, which leads us to a gift that hung above the U.S. ambassador's desk for seven years (but was listening the whole time.) Today we're tracing the strange, musical science behind Soviet espionage in plain sight, how a Beach Boys–adjacent inventor pulled it off, and how to make sure you're not being spied on in your Airbnb.  'The most ingenious stunt since the Trojan Horse': The Soviet artwork that spied on the US (Matt Wilson, Aug 27, 2025) Ministers ask China to explain redacted designs for London 'super-embassy' (Eleni Courea, The Guardian, Aug 6, 2025) The Soviet Spy Who Invented the First Major Electronic Instrument (Nora McGreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, Dec 3, 2020) How to Spot Hidden Cameras in Your Airbnb With These 7 Tips (Tyler Lacoma, CNET, Aug 18, 2025) Does Your Airbnb Have Hidden Cameras? Here's How to Check (Chandra Steele, PC Mag, May 21, 2025) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast [email protected]