TRAINING
Have you got what it takes to be a spy?
“Being a woman was the best training I had for becoming a CIA spy. For years I’d relied on my ability to listen to and read other people, not to mention refined skills of manipulation, in order to get by in life. These skills proved essential for operating in the male-dominated world of espionage, and for becoming a successful secret agent.”
Lindsay Moran, former CIA Intelligence Officer
DID YOU KNOW?
Recent research on reality TV programs has shown that liars often reveal their true feelings before quickly masking them with a relaxed expression. If you can videotape your suspect and pause the action, you might catch a momentary grimace or frown that gives them away.
DID YOU KNOW?
During the Cold War, the Military Intelligence Services of the US, UK and France examined a lot of used toilet paper. Real toilet paper was in short supply so desperate Soviets used any paper they could find. Some of these papers and documents contained secret information.
In 2005, when the cost of identity theft in the UK was estimated at over $2 billion, sales of paper shredders in British shops exceeded toasters for the first time. One supermarket chain claimed to be selling 10,000 shredders per month.
Soon your garbage could be spying on you. More than 30 council authorities across the UK have fitted microchips to domestic garbage bins. These chips could be used to keep track of the amount or type of garbage you throw away.
Real-world spying in the twenty-first century is tougher than ever, but spies still rely on the same human skills they’ve always needed. Successful spies are cunning, resourceful and observant. They’re stealthy and have nerves of steel. With great strength of character, they must be experts at reading people, analyzing data, and making quick decisions.
SPOT THE LIAR
There’s no foolproof way to spot a liar. The best methods compare how people behave when lying to when they’re telling the truth. Research shows that trained agents are much better than ordinary people at spotting liars.
SPOT THE LIAR HINTS
Is the agent slow to answer?
Liars often need time to think about their answers.
How confident is the agent?
Liars may be unsure of what they’re saying.
Listen to the agent’s voice.
Liars often speak with a higher-pitched voice.
Watch the agent’s eyes.
Liars sometimes find it hard to look you in the face.
WHAT’S REVEALED IN GARBAGE?
It may be dirty and smelly, but searching through other people’s garbage can be a common task for a spy. We all give away information about ourselves in the garbage we throw away. Spies can piece together these snippets of information to find out about someone’s movements, contacts or interests. Criminals can steal personal or bank information to help them use someone else’s identity. And journalists sometimes sift through garbage looking for celebrity news.
Proceed to TECHNOLOGY »
The Science of Spying, an exhibition from 
scienceof.com
