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. Archaeology

    Oldest pottery comes from Chinese cave

    New dates show that East Asian hunter-gatherers fired up cooking vessels 20,000 years ago.

  2. Psychology

    Thirtysomethings flex their number sense

    A mental feel for estimating amounts maxes out later in life and may influence math achievement.

  3. Humans

    Ancient North Africans got milk

    Pottery study unveils early dairy practices among Saharan cattle herders.

  4. Humans

    European cave art gets older

    Ancient illustrations in northern Spain date to more than 40,000 years ago.

  5. Humans

    Stone Age art gets animated

    Cave paintings and decorated disks provided moving experiences in ancient Europe.

  6. Humans

    Family labels framed similarly across cultures

    Despite differing languages, a trade-off between simplicity and usefulness of words defining kin relationships might be universal.

  7. Humans

    Maya wall calendar discovered

    Classic-era structure displays rare calculations of lunar and planetary cycles.

  8. The Hot and Cold of Priming

    Psychologists are divided on whether unnoticed cues can influence behavior.

  9. Psychology

    When good moods go decisively bad

    Positive feelings may lead seniors to weigh fewer options and make poorer choices in some situations.

  10. Humans

    DNA tracks ancient Mediterranean farmers to Scandinavia

    Modern genetic profile emerged from mating with resident hunter-gatherers, a new study suggests.

  11. Psychology

    Two heads sometimes better than one

    Group decisions rise or fall based on what the most confident member knows or doesn’t know.

  12. Humans

    Highlights from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists annual meeting, Portland, Ore., April 11-14

    Shorts on Stone Age finds in Southeast Asia, chatting among Neandertal ancestors and early cannibalism.