Bruce Bower

Bruce Bower

Behavioral Sciences Writer

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.

All Stories by Bruce Bower

  1. Anthropology

    Britain’s largest ancient massacre may have included cannibalism

    Bones recovered from a natural shaft unveil a 4,000-year-old massacre of men, women and children, possibly part of a cycle of revenge killings.

  2. Archaeology

    The oldest known ritual chamber in the Middle East has been found

    Engravings and other evidence suggest ancient humans attended religious ceremonies in the cave as early as 37,000 years ago.

  3. Anthropology

    Footprints offer a rare look at ancient human relatives crossing paths

    The imprints put flat-footed and arched-foot walkers together at a prime spot in East Africa.

  4. Archaeology

    Ancient Central Americans built a massive fish-trapping system

    Earthen channels directed fish into ponds that formed seasonally, providing a dietary bounty for Maya civilizations starting around 4,000 years ago.

  5. Anthropology

    Fossil teeth hint at a surprisingly early start to humans’ long childhoods

    Signs of temporarily delayed tooth development in the skull of an ancient Homo species youth spark debate about the origins of humanlike growth.

  6. Anthropology

    How does a fossil become a superstar? Just ask Lucy.

    Geologic good fortune, skilled scientific scrutiny and a catchy name turned Lucy into an evolutionary icon.

  7. Archaeology

    A digital exam reels in engraved scenes of Stone Age net fishing

    Nearly 16,000-year-old portrayals of fish surrounded by nets had evaded detection until a new technique took magnification to a new level.

  8. Archaeology

    Silk Road cities reached surprising heights in Central Asia’s mountains

    Drones with lasers revealed hidden urban centers that may have aided trade and travel through mountainous regions during medieval times.

  9. Archaeology

    Ancient Scythians had cultural roots in Siberia

    A possible sacrificial ritual from around 2,800 years ago suggests mounted herders from Siberia shaped a Eurasian culture thousands of kilometers away.

  10. Anthropology

    Fossils of an extinct animal may have inspired this cave art drawing

    Unusual tusks on preserved skulls of dicynodonts influenced the look of a mythical beast painted by Southern Africa’s San people, a researcher suspects.

  11. Anthropology

    Ancient DNA unveils a previously unknown line of Neandertals

    DNA from a partial skeleton found in France indicates that European Neandertals consisted of at least two genetically distinct populations.

  12. Archaeology

    Stonehenge’s mysterious Altar Stone had roots in Scotland

    New analyses indicate that this weighty piece of the site’s architecture, once thought to come from Wales, was somehow moved at least 750 kilometers.