Warhead

How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain

De: Nicholas Wright

Narrado por: Nicholas Wright

Read by the author, Nicholas Wright

From a leading neuroscientist and advisor to the Pentagon, discover the new science behind warfare.

Why did France surrender to the Nazis despite having a superior army? How has Ukraine stood firm against Russia? How do you know if you can trust an ally? How can we make clearer decisions under pressure? In Warhead, Nicholas Wright delves into our brains to find out why humans fight, lose and win wars.

Drawing upon his extensive expertise in neuroscience, combined with his strategic advisory role at the Pentagon, Wright reveals that, whether we like it or not, our brains are wired for conflict and survival. In an increasingly dangerous world, our success and our values depend on recognizing this and, if necessary, taking advantage of it.

Through cutting-edge research and by exploring notable conflicts from history, Warhead examines why global tensions are rising, from Taiwan to Ukraine, and asks how to defuse them. From the office to the battlefield, it is essential for understanding a more divided world.

©2025 Nicholas Wright (P)2025 Macmillan Publishers International Limited

Reseñas de la Crítica

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 at Johns Hopkins University and award-winning author of How to Win an Information War and Nothing is True and Everything is Possible)

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 fundamentals 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 at University College London)

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 at University College London, and author of Making up the Mind)

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 at King’s 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 (Sir David Omand, Professor at the War Studies Department of King’s College London, and former Director of GCHQ)

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)