Why did France lose to the Nazis, despite its defenders having more tanks, troops, and guns? How did Ukraine repel Russia’s initial onslaught? In his new book, Warhead, Wright journeys through the brain to show us how it shapes human behaviour in conflict and war. Cutting-edge research comes to life through battle stories from history: What was it like for American or Chinese foot soldiers in World War Two? How did leaders like Churchill or Eisenhower make wiser decisions? Courage, leadership, deception, cooperation… The brains with which we live our everyday lives are built for conflict: in the office or on the battlefield. How will human conflict shape our future technologies? In an increasingly dangerous world that threatens our values and success, we must understand why we humans fight, lose and win wars. So that we can build a more peaceful world through self-knowledge.
Warhead’s interdisciplinary approach has received kind praise from leading thinkers on war such as Sir Lawrence Freedman, Beatrice Heuser and Sir David Omand, as well as from leading neuroscientists such as Karl Friston and Chris Frith.

Dr Nicholas Wright, MRCP, PhD is a neuroscientist and advisor to the Pentagon Joint Staff who researches the brain, technology and security at University College London, Georgetown University, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the National Defense University in Washington DC. He works with governments and the private sector. He was a neurology doctor in London and Oxford, and published two edited books and many academic papers (e.g. Proc. Royal Soc., J. Neuro., Neuron), which have been covered by the BBC, New York Times, and The Economist. He has appeared on CNN and the BBC, and contributes to outlets like Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, the Atlantic, and Slate.