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. Anthropology

    African hominid fossils show ancient steps toward a two-legged stride

    New Ardipithecus ramidus fossils reveal how hominids were shifting toward humanlike walking more than 4 million years ago.

  2. Psychology

    STEM professors’ beliefs on intelligence may widen the racial achievement gap

    Seeing intelligence as fixed can result in lower grades, especially for certain minorities

  3. Archaeology

    The spread of Europe’s giant stone monuments may trace back to one region

    Megaliths spread across the continent due to seafarers’ influence, researcher says.

  4. Genetics

    DNA reveals early mating between Asian herders and European farmers

    A new genetic analysis could upend assumptions about the origins of Indo-European languages.

  5. Anthropology

    New dates narrow down when Denisovans and Neandertals crossed paths

    Mysterious ancient hominids called Denisovans and their Neandertal cousins periodically occupied the same cave starting around 200,000 years ago.

  6. Anthropology

    Why modern javelin throwers hurled Neandertal spears at hay bales

    A sporting event with replica weapons suggests that Neandertals’ spears may have been made for throwing, not just stabbing.

  7. Anthropology

    Dogs may have helped ancient Middle Easterners hunt small game

    Jordanian finds point to pooch-aided hunting of small prey around 11,500 years ago, offering new clues into dog domestication in the Middle East.

  8. Archaeology

    Our fascination with robots goes all the way back to antiquity

    In the book ‘Gods and Robots,’ a scholar recounts how early civilizations explored artificial life through myths.

  9. Anthropology

    An ancient child from East Asia grew teeth like a modern human

    Choppers from a youngster with an unknown evolutionary background indicate that hominids evolved a humanlike life span in East Asia by 100,000 years ago.

  10. Anthropology

    ‘Little Foot’ skeleton reveals a brain much like a chimp’s

    An ancient skeleton dubbed Little Foot points to the piecemeal evolution of various humanlike traits in hominids, two studies suggest.

  11. Anthropology

    Paint specks in tooth tartar illuminate a medieval woman’s artistry

    Tooth tartar unveils an expert female manuscript painter buried at a German monastery.

  12. Anthropology

    Human smarts got a surprisingly early start

    Human ingenuity began on treks across Asia and in fluctuating African habitats.