Event

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

Date
29 Oct 2025
Time
17:15 UK time
Speakers
Dr Nicholas Wright
Where
All Souls College, Old Library, High Street OX1 4AL
Series
Changing Character of War Centre (CCW) Wednesday Evening Seminar Series
Organiser contact
Audience
Public
Booking
Not required
CCW will host Dr Nicholas Wright, leading neuroscientist and adviser to the Pentagon, as his latest book is published. In "Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain" we 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?