The Pentagon’s Brain

Discover the untold story of America's most powerful military science agency.

In this first-ever history of the Defense Department's most secret, most powerful and most controversial military science R&D agency, Sunday Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen draws on inside sources, exclusive interviews, private documents, and declassified memos to demystify DARPA, ‘the Pentagon's brain’.

Since its Cold War inception in 1958, DARPA’s innovations have shaped the modern world – from its role in the development of the Internet and GPS to stealth technology. Yet, the agency's cutting-edge projects remain cloaked in secrecy, often outpacing public domain advancements by decades. In this groundbreaking account, Jacobsen uncovers DARPA's hidden history, triumphs and controversies, exploring its role in pioneering technologies that redefine warfare and society while questioning the wisdom of allowing DARPA to determine what lies ahead.