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

    No nuts for you, Nutcracker Man

    Tooth analysis shows huge-jawed hominid grazed on grasses and sedges.

  2. Humans

    Most Neandertals were right-handers

    Right handedness, and perhaps spoken language, originated at least a half million years ago, a new study suggests.

  3. Psychology

    Why some gorillas go unseen

    Attention differences help to explain why some people don't notice surprising sights.

  4. Humans

    Possibly pivotal human ancestor debated

    An ancient species that may have sparked the rise of humankind gets a new appraisal.

  5. Life

    Gone fishing, orangutan-style

    Apes that catch fish in ponds and eat them raise the possibility that ancient hominids did the same.

  6. Humans

    Genetic roots of ‘orchid’ children

    Kids who inherit certain DNA variants may be most likely to wilt in bad circumstances and bloom in good ones.

  7. Humans

    Rising seas made China’s ancient mariners

    Ancient environmental changes produced a maritime culture that colonized Taiwan 5,000 years ago, archaeologists contend.

  8. Humans

    Go east, ancient tool makers

    New finds put African hand ax makers in India as early as 1.5 million years ago.

  9. Archaeology

    Pueblo traded for chocolate big-time

    New evidence of ancient Pueblo cacao drinking feeds a theory of long-distance trade.

  10. Humans

    Iron Age goldsmith retooled

    An ancient warrior's tomb brings back jewelry making from 2,400 years ago.

  11. Humans

    In-laws transformed early human society

    A study of today's hunter-gatherers finds marital relationships help spread a social fabric.

  12. Psychology

    A man lost in musical time

    A man who can’t feel music’s pulse or move in time to it provides initial clues to ‘beat deafness.’