Gallery: Eerie Photos Capture Fear and Paranoia in Washington DC

  • This image may contain Home Decor Window and Silhouette
    Mike Osborne
    01

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-20.jpg

    A light illuminates a room at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Coat Suit Overcoat Human Person Tuxedo Fashion and Robe
    Mike Osborne
    02

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-07.jpg

    Men in suits photograph something through a wire fence on H Street NW.
  • Image may contain Book Plaque and Text
    Mike Osborne
    03

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-08.jpg

    *The Washington Post* announces President Trump firing James Comey.
  • This image may contain Lighting Road Building Wheel Machine Architecture Urban Town and City
    Mike Osborne
    04

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-04.jpg

    A test target sits on the National Mall.
  • Image may contain Human Person Electrical Device and Microphone
    Mike Osborne
    05

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-16.jpg

    Representative Steny Hoyer speaks at a rally.
  • Image may contain Corridor and Tunnel
    Mike Osborne
    06

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-12.jpg

    A shaft stretches beneath Dupont Circle.
  • This image may contain Building Transportation Vehicle Car Automobile Wheel Machine Nature Factory and Outdoors
    Mike Osborne
    07

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-23.jpg

    The Verizon building, a theorized NSA domestic interception point, sits at 30 E St SW.
  • Image may contain Transportation Vehicle Automobile Car Wheel Machine and Mirror
    Mike Osborne
    08

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-14.jpg

    A white van waits on a street in the Kalorama neighborhood.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Indoors Interior Design Fashion Robe Gown and Wedding
    Mike Osborne
    09

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-09.jpg

    Wolf Blitzer speaks at a private event on the National Mall.
  • Image may contain Tarmac Asphalt Road and Intersection
    Mike Osborne
    10

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-19.jpg

    A pair of eyes fill a marquee screen on I Street SW.
  • This image may contain Face Human Person Head Skin Sunglasses Accessories Accessory Beard Helmet and Clothing
    Mike Osborne
    11

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-15.jpg

    A man wears an earpiece.
  • This image may contain Road Tarmac Asphalt Light Flare Nature and Path
    Mike Osborne
    12

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-24.jpg

    A road leading to a Russian dacha seized by federal agents.
  • Image may contain Advertisement Poster Symbol Sign and Road Sign
    Mike Osborne
    13

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-21.jpg

    A sign advertises "cyber training" near the NSA in Fort Meade, Maryland.
  • Image may contain Plant Tree Ground Vegetation Woodland Forest Land Outdoors and Nature
    Mike Osborne
    14

    Osborne-WVBS-Wired-17.jpg

    An F-16 crashed near this site in Clinton, Maryland.
Read More
The WIRED Guide to Shopping Prime Big Deal Days
Before Amazon’s October sale begins, learn how to investigate prices and track products like a pro.
Louryn Strampe
The Top New Features Coming to MacOS 27 Golden Gate to Try Out Now
Siri’s reintroduction takes center stage as Apple officially rolls out the latest version of macOS to download and install.
Luke Larsen
I Trained a Fly’s Brain to Generate WIRED Story Ideas
I used an open-source map of a fruit fly’s brain to vibe code a website called PitchFly. Its headline suggestions were delightfully bananas.
Will Knight
The 8 Best Movies to Stream This Month
The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Wild Robot, and Obsession are among the must-watch films arriving this month.
Matt Kamen
Chipotle Is Working With Palantir to Track Food Safety Risks
The burrito chain has enlisted Palantir for a platform that monitors pest incidents, employee illnesses, and other factors. The partnership comes after a nightmare summer for food safety across the US.
Kate Taylor
The iPhone 18 Pro Is for the Shutterbugs
Fun camera features help make these candy bar iPhones stand out from the dazzle of the folding iPhone Duo.
Julian Chokkattu
Don’t Buy an Android Phone Until You Read Our Guide
Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.
Julian Chokkattu
Introducing the WIRED App
The app is the best way to read, watch, and listen to WIRED’s journalism.
WIRED Staff
Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works
A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days.
Dhruv Mehrotra
The EU Plans to Ban Social Media For Under-13s
The bloc wants to curb Big Tech’s grip on children with its new EU Kids Act, but age checks, parental oversight, and privacy concerns could make its plan difficult to implement.
Isabella Ward
I Made Robot Vacuums Clean Up Cherry Juice and Cheerios. These Won
My hands-on tests reveal which models can scrub stains, reach difficult corners, and navigate a chaotic home.
Nena Farrell
Self-Driving Cars Might Change Crash Testing Forever
Lie down in a car, and you’re more likely to get seriously hurt in a crash. But a driverless future is forcing governments to revisit long-standing safety issues.
Aarian Marshall