Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain

by Nicholas Wright

Overview

From Dr Nicholas Wright, leading neuroscientist and adviser to the Pentagon, discover the new science behind warfare.

Why did France lose to the Nazis, despite its defenders having more tanks, troops, and guns? How did we bring peace to Germany after World War Two? How do you know if you can trust an ally? How can we make clearer decisions under pressure?

In Warhead, Nicholas Wright takes us on a fascinating journey through the brain to show us how it shapes our behaviour in conflict and war. Drawing on his work as a neuroscientist, and over a decade advising the Pentagon and the UK Government, Wright reveals that, whether we like it or not, the brain is wired for conflict – in the office or on the battlefield.

With a unique framework that helps explain today’s rising tensions and how to defuse them, Warhead brings cutting-edge research to life through battle stories from history. What was it like for a foot soldier at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, or in China's Red Army as it fought to survive and triumph throughout the 1930s and 40s? How could leaders such as World War Two tank commanders, Shaka Zulu, or Winston Churchill see through the fog of conflict, make better decisions, and communicate with those who must carry those decisions out? How will human conflict shape our future technologies?

In an increasingly dangerous world that threatens our values and success, Warhead is an essential read to understand why we fight, lose and win wars. Because self-knowledge is power.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250286871
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	10/07/2025
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

DR. NICHOLAS WRIGHT, MRCP, PhD is a neuroscientist who researches the brain, technology and security at University College London, Georgetown University, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, where he also advises the Pentagon Joint Staff. He works with governments and the private sector. He worked as a neurology doctor in London and Oxford, and has published numerous academic papers, which have been covered by the BBC and New York Times. He has appeared on CNN and the BBC, and regularly contributes to outlets like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Atlantic, and Slate.

Editorial Reviews

“[A] fascinating fusion of neuroscience, psychology, and military history, physician-neuroscientist … enlightening.” -Booklist

“This remarkable book charts the living history of war and conflict, from what unfolds on the evening news to spellbinding examples from military history. Nicholas Wright’s analysis of our capacity for planning, introspection, perspective taking and metacognition lays bare our capacity for deceit, dehumanisation and destruction. However, the books dénouement revisits these fundaments of the human mind, and they point to another path – a path in which the horrors of war can be avoided through our complementary capacities for consciousness, communication, and construction.” – Karl Friston, Professor of Neuroscience, University College London

“I learned a great deal from Nicholas Wright’s unique book about how today’s neuroscience can better explain the workings of the brain, and provide understanding of how our brains feed the roots of human conflict. Highly recommended.” - Professor Sir David Omand, War Studies Department King’s College London and former Director of GCHQ

“In a survival scenario, such as war, fundamental questions arise: How do we survive hunger? How can we think when tired? How do we detect deception? How do we choose our collaborators? In war, if we can’t answer these questions, we will doom ourselves and many others as well. In this distinctive and fascinating book, Nick Wright reminds us of the true importance of all the various brain functions, wherever they may be in the brain's hierarchy of function." — Chris Frith, Emeritus Professor of Neuropsychology, University College London, and author of Making up the Mind: How the Brain Creates our Mental World.

"Truly original and (unfortunately) timely. Wright combines brain science, history and psychology to challenge our views on war and peace. Would understanding the mind help bring peace or help nations fight better? Perhaps both. Fresh, engaging and provocative." —Tali Sharot, award-winning author of The Influential Mind

“A fresh neuroscientific exploration of the science of war. Warhead is for anyone who thinks conflict is explained by cold reason and analysis, rather than by understanding our imperfect brains.” —Beatrice Heuser, Distinguished Professor at the Free University of Brussels, and author of Flawed Strategy: Why Smart Leaders Make Bad Decisions

“This is a lively, ingenious and original book. Taking us on a journey through the distinctive parts of the brain, Nicholas Wright is able to make human behaviour during the extreme circumstances of war make more sense.” - Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King’s College, London

“A mind-expanding journey through the literal war for our minds. Combines neuroscience, history and memoir in the best traditions of popular science and military history. Invigorating, educational and entertaining.”
- Peter Pomerantsev, Senior Fellow, Johns Hopkins University and award-winning author of How to Win an Information War and Nothing is True and Everything is Possible

From the Publisher

2025-08-13
Brains in battle.

Wright, a neuroscientist and adviser to the Pentagon, follows the brain’s functions from the most basic to the most complex, linking them to observed effects in war. Drawing on the Chinese Civil War, both world wars, the war in Ukraine, and the U.S. Capitol insurrection, Wright notes that successful leaders motivated soldiers with ideas of unfairness and justice, or perceived social inequalities, linking these to structures in the brain that generate our beliefs and actions. Surprisingly, World War II studies indicate that soldiers would risk death but few had the will to kill, with only 15% to 20% of men firing their weapons even in intense battles. Evolving technologies—covering armies with sensors, and digital monitoring during soldier training—will target training goals and produce a fire hose of data in the “intelligentized era,” with AI enlisted for analysis. Still, a capacity to manipulate perception will require human interpretation, and Wright argues that a deeper understanding of perception is our best defense. He writes, “Information has gone from the eye, to the telescope, to radar, and now also through AI—but no technology can ever halt the perceptual arms race between militaries.” Wright draws on the research of AI pioneers and former colleagues Geoffrey Hinton and Demis Hassabis, as well as Karl Marx, Mao Zedong, and Carl von Clausewitz, to argue that an understanding of human mental models has been used by leaders throughout history. A military saying, “Capabilities create intentions,” is especially terrifying in an era of AI weapons development. Blurring the lines between strategy and biology is a fascinating approach, and extensive notes give military and civilian readers much to explore.

A gripping look at military strategy and a brave new world of future conflicts.

Kirkus Reviews