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

    Teen depression: No genes required

    The family-shattering effects of a mother’s depression can prompt the same mood disorder in her children, independent of any genetic risk.

  2. Humans

    Inborn path to math

    A new study links math achievement with individual differences in the ability to rapidly estimate quantities.

  3. Humans

    Infants have social sightlines

    One-year olds can translate personal experience into knowledge about others

  4. Humans

    Honey of a discovery

    Investigators have discovered the remains of 3,000-year-old beehives in Israel, offering a glimpse of the oldest known beekeeping operation.

  5. Humans

    Little big people

    New fossil discoveries elevate ancient Pacific islanders, with disputed implications for controversial hobbit remains in Indonesia.

  6. Psychology

    World of hurt

    Treatments shown to diminish psychological problems in traumatized youngsters often don’t get used, an exhaustive research review concludes.

  7. Psychology

    Undecided voters not so undecided

    A measure of unconscious attitudes predicts the opinions that undecided people eventually reach on a controversial issue.

  8. Animals

    I, Magpie

    Some magpies recognize themselves in mirrors, indicating that a basic form of self-recognition evolved in one family of birds.

  9. Evolution’s Ear

    Recent changes in hearing-related genes may have influenced language development

  10. Archaeology

    Saharan surprise

    A chance discovery in the Sahara leads to the excavation of a Stone Age cemetery containing remains from two lakeside cultures.

  11. Psychology

    Core calculations

    Number words may serve as mental tools for expanding on basic, nonverbal numerical knowledge rather than as determinants of such knowledge.

  12. Humans

    Toddlers triumphant

    In new studies, toddlers display dramatic advances in object recognition that may underlie verbal and symbolic achievements.