Sophisticated weapons capable of attacking or manipulating the human brain are no longer confined to the realms of science fiction, according to a stark warning from two leading UK academics.
The New Frontier of Warfare
Michael Crowley and Malcolm Dando from the University of Bradford are set to publish a new book that serves as a global wake-up call. They argue that the human mind has become the latest frontier in conflict, with urgent international action required to stop the weaponisation of neuroscience.
"It does sound like science fiction," admitted Crowley. "The danger is that it becomes science fact." Their research, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, details how advances in neuroscience, pharmacology, and artificial intelligence are converging to create a potent new threat.
"We are entering an era where the brain itself could become a battlefield," Crowley stated. "The tools to manipulate the central nervous system – to sedate, confuse or even coerce – are becoming more precise, more accessible and more attractive to states."
A Chilling Precedent and Advanced Research
The book traces the disturbing history of state-sponsored research into central nervous system (CNS)-acting chemicals. During the Cold War and beyond, major powers including the US, Soviet Union, and China all "actively sought" to develop CNS-acting weapons designed to cause prolonged incapacitation.
The only large-scale use of such a weapon occurred in 2002, when Russian security forces used fentanyl derivatives to end the Moscow theatre siege. Chechen militants had taken 900 people hostage. While most hostages were freed, the operation had a devastating human cost: more than 120 people died from the effects of the chemical agents, with many more suffering long-term health damage or premature death.
The academics warn that research has advanced significantly since then. The capability now exists to create far more "sophisticated and targeted" weapons that were once unimaginable.
Professor Dando explained the dual-use dilemma: "The same knowledge that helps us treat neurological disorders could be used to disrupt cognition, induce compliance, or even in the future turn people into unwitting agents."
A Call for Proactive Global Governance
Despite the "real and growing" threat, Crowley and Dando highlight that gaps in international arms control treaties, such as the Chemical Weapons Convention, prevent it from being tackled effectively.
This weekend, the experts are travelling to The Hague for the 30th session of the Conference of the States Parties (CSP), the body that oversees the convention. They are advocating for a new "holistic arms control" framework and propose practical steps, including establishing a dedicated working group on CNS-acting agents.
"We need to move from reactive to proactive governance," urged Dando. The men stress that their goal is not to stifle scientific progress, which has immense benefits for humanity, but to prevent its malign application.
Crowley issued a final, powerful call to action: "This is a wake-up call. We must act now to protect the integrity of science and the sanctity of the human mind."
