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. Humans

    Humans reached Asia in two waves

    New genetic data show that some early migrants interbred with a mysterious Neandertal sister group.

  2. Psychology

    Same face, different person

    Photos of a stranger’s mug can look like many unfamiliar people to an observer, complicating facial recognition research.

  3. Humans

    Fossil finds offer close look at a contested ancestor

    Nearly 2 million-year-old fossils offer glimpses of a species that may, or may not, have been crucial for human evolution.

  4. Humans

    Oldest hand axes found

    Homo erectus may have made both advanced and simple tools 1.76 million years ago.

  5. Psychology

    Men’s spatial superiority takes cultural cues

    Some societies may nurture comparable spatial skills in males and females.

  6. Humans

    Recession-sensitive parenting

    Economic downturn led to temporarily more severe parenting tactics among genetically predisposed mothers.

  7. Humans

    Stress spears deployed service personnel

    Supply officers draw as much or more emotional fire as combat soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

  8. Psychology

    Spoilers freshen up stories

    Giving away the plot may aid, not ruin, story enjoyment.

  9. Humans

    Ancient Saharan head cases

    Skulls from a North African civilization provide glimpses of what may be early cranial surgery.

  10. Psychology

    Moms talk, daughters’ hormones listen

    A familiar voice, but not instant messaging, may trigger a kind of hormonal reassurance in girls.

  11. Humans

    Water’s Edge Ancestors

    Human evolution’s tide may have turned on lake and sea shores.

  12. Psychology

    Kids share, chimps stash

    Divvying up goods comes easily to 3-year-old kids but not to adult chimps, a finding with evolutionary implications.