Some secret lab projects aim to better the world, while others chase the next high‑tech breakthrough, and a few simply exist for the sheer love of the odd and obscure. In this roundup we explore 10 bizarre secret laboratories that illustrate the wild variety of work happening behind locked doors, from corporate moonshots to historic hidden workshops.
10 Bizarre Secret Labs: Why They Matter
10 Google X
Founded in 2010, Google’s experimental research hub, known as Google X, lives in a modest brick building tucked away near the company’s main headquarters. Its declared mission is to chase “moonshot” ideas—ambitious, high‑risk projects that demand massive investment. The most famous fruits of this lab are the self‑driving car prototype and the now‑infamous Google Glasses, but the ambition stretches far beyond those two.
Beyond the headline‑grabbing inventions, the lab reportedly juggles roughly a hundred other concepts, from everyday Internet‑enabled light bulbs that can be controlled by a smartphone to autonomous robotic assistants that could handle mundane chores at home or in the office. In a playful twist, these robots might even take over the commute while their human owners stay put.
One of the most eye‑catching experiments is a high‑altitude balloon network designed to beam internet connectivity to the planet’s most remote corners. The concept envisions a fleet of balloons that constantly launch new companions via an “autolauncher” every half‑hour, ensuring uninterrupted coverage. Test flights have kept balloons aloft for up to 187 days, with data links spanning more than 100 km (62 mi) and delivering speeds of up to 10 Mbps. This venture, popularly known as Project Loon, showcases how Google X pushes the envelope of what’s technically possible.
9 Apple Lab
Deep in a discreet Berlin facility, about twenty engineers, programmers, hardware gurus, and sales specialists are quietly building Apple’s version of an autonomous vehicle. The eventual car could be assembled by Magna, a parts manufacturer already supplying components to luxury marques like BMW and Mercedes‑Benz.
The secretive team has periodically tapped the expertise of veteran automotive minds from Tesla, Ford, and Mercedes‑Benz to accelerate development. Although the timeline has shifted, the Apple self‑driving car was originally slated to hit the streets in 2019 or 2020, hinting at a future where Apple’s sleek design language meets driverless technology.
8 Amazon Lab
Across the Channel in Cambridge, England, Amazon’s clandestine research center is perfecting a bold vision: delivering packages to your doorstep within thirty minutes using autonomous drones. By leveraging 3‑D‑printed components, the lab speeds up drone production, while sophisticated GPS systems enable the aircraft to climb to 122 meters (400 ft) to locate navigation markers.
Each Prime Air drone is equipped with a “sense and avoid” system that lets it skirt obstacles in real time. A human “safety operator” monitors flights, ready to intervene if a drone spots an unexpected barrier—prompting the aircraft to abort the drop and ascend to safety. The drones can ferry parcels up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) over distances of up to 24 km (15 mi).
7 Samsung Lab
Samsung’s Creative Lab, a showcase of its innovation engine, stunned CES 2016 attendees with three futuristic gadgets: a smart belt, a hand‑worn motion controller, and a novel smartwatch strap. The belt, dubbed WELT, continuously measures waist circumference, tracks steps, monitors sitting time, and even logs eating habits, turning everyday wear into a health‑monitoring device.
The motion controller—referred to as the “rink”—sits on the hand and offers a more nuanced, intuitive way to interact with virtual reality environments. Meanwhile, the smartwatch strap named TipTalk lets users boost call clarity in noisy settings simply by touching a finger to their ear, merging ergonomics with acoustic engineering.
6 Telstra Lab
Down under in New South Wales, Australian telco giant Telstra runs a covert testing facility packed with a shielded chamber that wipes out all electromagnetic interference, creating a flawless environment for device trials. Adjacent to this, a “blue tick room”—its walls lined with carbon‑filled cones—simulates the challenges faced by rural and regional users, ensuring that network upgrades work everywhere.
Telstra’s engineers run a staggering 3,450 distinct tests on each device, covering everything from protocol compliance and antenna sensitivity to user‑experience metrics like voice quality and data throughput. One standout trial in 2016 involved the Nighthawk M1, a modem capable of 1‑Gbps download speeds, proving the lab’s commitment to high‑performance connectivity.
5 EBay Lab
In San Jose, California, eBay’s secretive “Bat Cave” lab—home to a lean team of seventeen—has been blending the digital world with brick‑and‑mortar retail. Partnering with fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff, the lab helped launch boutique stores in New York and San Francisco that feature “smart” dressing rooms. Mirrors there display style guides and sizing recommendations, while a massive 5.2‑meter (17‑ft) “iWall” reacts to a single touch, essentially turning a wall into a giant, interactive smartphone.
Beyond the flashy wall, the lab rolled out a “connected kiosk” at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto and installed touch‑screen stations in other stores, empowering shoppers to navigate aisles, locate items, or place orders with a swipe.
4 IKEA Lab
In Copenhagen’s gritty meat‑packing district, IKEA houses Space 10, a collaborative hub where artists, designers, and technologists conjure up experimental prototypes. The lab’s mission is to push the boundaries of everyday living, blending sustainability with cutting‑edge tech.
Among its most headline‑grabbing creations are a 3‑D‑printed meatball, the Crispy Bug Ball (a crunchy insect‑based snack), the Urban Farmer’s Ball, and the Wonderful Waste Ball—each designed to spotlight emerging food trends like lab‑grown meat and algae harvesting. Using on‑demand 3‑D printing, Space 10 can tailor edible items from algae proteins, beet leaves, or insects to suit individual tastes.
Beyond food, the team is busy engineering a tech‑assisted hydroponic farm and equipping the space with laser cutters and 3‑D printers to recycle disposable materials, turning waste into new design possibilities.
3 Feces Lab
During Joseph Stalin’s reign, the Soviet secret police operated a clandestine laboratory dedicated to analyzing human excrement. The goal? To craft psychological portraits of high‑value targets like Mao Zedong by scrutinizing their waste. Former Soviet operative Igor Atamanenko uncovered this bizarre operation while digging through archived intelligence files.
Because traditional bugging devices couldn’t be hidden in certain rooms, Soviet scientists turned to stool as a covert source of intel. They believed that high tryptophan levels indicated a calm, approachable demeanor, while low potassium suggested nervousness and insomnia, allowing them to infer personality traits from digestive by‑products.
Specialized toilets were installed to funnel Mao’s waste into secret boxes for analysis. When the results hinted that signing an agreement with Mao would be ill‑advised, Stalin reportedly declined the deal. The project was eventually shuttered by Nikita Khrushchev, who ended the lab’s operations.
2 Thomas Jefferson’s Lab
While overseeing a renovation of the University of Virginia’s iconic Rotunda, project manager Matt Scheidt grew curious about the thickness of its walls. His investigation led him to crawl through a hidden aperture, where he discovered a long‑forgotten chemistry laboratory originally designed by Thomas Jefferson himself in the 1820s.
The lab was sealed off in 1840 as teaching methods evolved, inadvertently preserving it through a devastating 1895 fire and extensive 1970s renovations. Its survival made it one of the few remaining historic “chemical hearths” in the United States.
Only in October 2015 did Scheidt’s curiosity bring the hidden lab back into the spotlight. Today, the restored space is displayed in the Rotunda’s visitor center, offering a tangible glimpse into Jefferson’s scientific curiosity.
1 Hedy Lamarr’s Lab
Hollywood’s golden‑age star Hedy Lamarr was more than a glamorous actress—she kept a secret laboratory in her bedroom where she pursued inventive projects. After marrying an arms dealer in Germany, she gained exposure to cutting‑edge technology, which later fueled her wartime contributions after moving to the United States.
Disturbed by the frequent jamming of torpedo guidance signals, Lamarr teamed up with avant‑garde composer George Antheil. Together, they devised a frequency‑hopping system inspired by the piano roll of a player piano, rendering torpedo communications jam‑proof. This pioneering technique underpins modern Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular technologies.
Beyond her scientific pursuits, Lamarr’s legacy inspired contemporary creators. Gary Pullman, an instructor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, references her in his 2016 urban‑fantasy novel “A Whole World Full of Hurt,” showcasing how her inventive spirit continues to spark imagination across disciplines.