Researchers warn mind-altering ‘brain weapons’ are becoming reality
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British experts caution that advances in neuroscience and AI are enabling dangerous new “brain weapons,” urging global action at The Hague to prevent the militarization of the human mind.
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Magician David Blaine stands inside an apparatus surrounded by a million volts of electric currents streamed by tesla coils during his 72-hour "Electrified: 1 Million Volts Always On" stunt on Pier 54, the United States, October 5, 2012. (AP)
Two British security experts are sounding the alarm over what they describe as an emerging class of “brain weapons” capable of manipulating human perception, cognition, and behavior, an area they argue is rapidly moving from speculative fiction into concrete military planning.
Michael Crowley and Malcolm Dando of Bradford University say their forthcoming book, released by the Royal Society of Chemistry, shows that advances in neuroscience, pharmacology, and artificial intelligence have converged to create unprecedented risks. The pair will present their findings in The Hague this weekend during the 30th session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP), the international body that oversees implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
A new frontier in warfare
“It does sound like science fiction,” Crowley said, warning that the danger lies precisely in such concepts becoming “science fact.” He argues that states are increasingly positioning the human brain as a “new battlefield,” with tools emerging that can sedate, confuse, coerce, or otherwise disrupt the central nervous system with growing precision and accessibility.
According to the book, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China all “actively sought” to develop Central Nervous System-acting (CNS-acting) weapons during the Cold War and after, targeting prolonged incapacitation through hallucinations, paralysis, disorientation, and loss of consciousness.
The only known large-scale use of such weaponry occurred in 2002, when Russian security forces used fentanyl-based chemical agents to end the Moscow theater hostage crisis. While most captives were freed, more than 120 people died from the effects of the gas, and many others suffered long-term harm. Crowley and Dando argue that today’s scientific advances could produce far more “sophisticated and targeted” systems.
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Weaponizing medical knowledge
Dando, a leading expert on chemical and biological weapons control, warned that research meant to treat neurological disorders could be “used to disrupt cognition, induce compliance, or even in the future turn people into unwitting agents.”
He emphasized that the threat is “real and growing,” yet international arms control frameworks remain ill-equipped to address it.
The authors highlight gaps in existing treaties, arguing that global institutions are still focused on conventional chemical weapons while overlooking the accelerating weaponization of neuroscience.
Calls for proactive global governance
In The Hague, the researchers will urge states to adopt a “holistic arms control” approach. Their proposals include establishing a dedicated working group on CNS-acting and other incapacitating agents, strengthening monitoring and training mechanisms, and updating definitions within arms control regimes.
“We need to move from reactive to proactive governance,” Dando said, stressing that the objective is not to halt scientific progress but to prevent its misuse.
Crowley added that the world faces a pivotal moment.
“This is a wake-up call. We must act now to protect the integrity of science and the sanctity of the human mind,” he said.
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