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. Psychology

    Club drug tied to out-of-body sensations

    A Canadian survey finds a close link between ketamine and bizarre physical experiences.

  2. Humans

    Some kids’ remorseless road to later conduct problems

    A callous, unemotional style in a small proportion of 7-year-olds heralds years of severe misconduct.

  3. Psychology

    Bilingual babies cue in to languages

    Babies exposed to two native tongues gain an early advantage in recognizing different languages.

  4. Humans

    Ice Age cups crafted from crania

    An English cave serves up the oldest known vessels made from human skulls

  5. Humans

    Human ancestors have identity crisis

    Fossils heralded as the remains of 4- to 7-million-year-old hominids might actually come from apes.

  6. Humans

    Lucy’s feet were made for walking

    A 3.2-million-year-old toe fossil suggests a humanlike gait for an ancient hominid.

  7. Humans

    Running past Neandertals

    Stone Age humans’ heel bones, more so than those of Neandertals, aided long-distance running.

  8. Psychology

    Sometimes, happiness is for bozos

    Despite its benefits, happiness and its pursuit has risks, as writer Bruce Bower describes in a humorous report from the recent meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.

  9. ‘Love’ hormone has a dark side

    Often associated with feelings of closeness, oxytocin can make people more or less trusting depending on their underlying social outlook.

  10. In the Zone

    Evolution may have trained the mind to see scoring streaks — even where they don't exist.

  11. Humans

    Hints of earlier human exit from Africa

    New finds suggest surprisingly early migrations by Homo sapiens out of Africa through an oasis-studded Arabia.

  12. Psychology

    Stage set early for success, or failure

    Youngsters who lack self-control tend to hurtle toward a harsh rendezvous with adulthood.