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Bruce Bower has written about the behavioral sciences since 1984. He often writes about psychology, anthropology, archaeology and mental health issues. Bruce has a master's degree in psychology from Pepperdine University and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. Following an internship at Science News in 1981, he worked as a reporter at Psychiatric News, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, until joining Science News as a staff writer. In 1996, the American Psychological Association appointed Bruce a Science Writer Fellow, with a grant to visit psychological scientists of his own choosing. Early stints as an aide in a day school for children and teenagers with severe psychological problems and as a counselor in a drug diversion center provided Bruce with a surprisingly good background for a career in science journalism.
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All Stories by Bruce Bower
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Gay Males’ Sibling Link: Men’s homosexuality tied to having older brothers
Birth order may steer some men toward homosexuality in a process that perhaps begins before birth.
- Anthropology
Mexican find reveals ancient dental work
A 4,500-year-old human skeleton found in Mexico represents the earliest instance in the Americas of intentionally modified teeth, apparently to create space for a ceremonial mouthpiece.
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Older but Mellower: Aging brain shifts gears to emotional advantage
The aging brain reorganizes in ways that foster emotional stability and a tendency to favor positive emotions over negative ones.
- Health & Medicine
Wasting Away: Prozac loses promise as anorexia nervosa fighter
Although often prescribed for people with anorexia nervosa, the popular antidepressant medication Prozac offers no better protection against the potentially fatal eating disorder than placebo pills do.
- Anthropology
Variety spices up Neandertals’ DNA
A surprising amount of genetic diversity characterized Neandertals.
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Sharp rise noted in meds for youths
Antipsychotic-drug treatment of children and teenagers seen by office-based physicians increased dramatically between 1993 and 2002.
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Growing Up Online
New studies probe some of the many ways, both good and bad, that children and teenagers use the Internet and adapt to online communication.
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All the Rage: Survey extends reach of explosive-anger disorder
A mental disorder that encompasses a wide range of recurring, hostile outbursts, including domestic violence and road rage, characterizes considerably more people than previous data had indicated.
- Archaeology
Stones of Contention: Tiny Homo species tied to ancient tool tradition
Controversial new discoveries suggest that our half-size evolutionary cousins who lived on the Indonesian island of Flores as recently as 12,000 years ago carried on a stone-toolmaking tradition passed down from the island's original colonizers more than 700,000 years ago.
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Evolving genes may not size up brain
Two gene variants previously implicated in the evolution of human brain size apparently don't influence brain volumes in people today.
- Archaeology
Jarring clues to Tut’s white wine
Chemical analyses of residue from jars found in King Tutankhamen's tomb have yielded the first evidence of white wine in ancient Egypt.
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Burden of Abuse: Violent partners take mental toll on women
Physical abuse at the hands of their husbands or live-in male partners contributes substantially to major depression and other disorders among women.