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. Archaeology

    Twisted textile cords may contain clues to Inca messages

    A writing system from the 1700s may illuminate even older knotty Inca messages.

  2. Anthropology

    Water tubing accidents, table run-ins cause Neandertal-like injuries

    People’s injury patterns today can’t explain how Neandertals got so many head wounds.

  3. Archaeology

    First settlers reached Americas 130,000 years ago, study claims

    Mastodon site suggests first Americans arrived unexpectedly early.

  4. Humans

    Homo naledi’s brain shows humanlike features

    South African Homo species had small but humanlike brain, scientists say.

  5. Archaeology

    Oldest evidence of patterned silk loom found in China

    Chinese finds offer earliest look at game-changing weaving machine.

  6. Anthropology

    Ötzi the Iceman froze to death

    Copper Age Iceman froze to death, with shoulder and head damage.

  7. Archaeology

    Shock-absorbing spear points kept early North Americans on the hunt

    Ancient Americans invented a way to make spear points last on an unfamiliar continent.

  8. Archaeology

    Stone Age hunter-gatherers tackled their cavities with a sharp tool and tar

    Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers scraped and coated away tooth decay.

  9. Psychology

    Out-of-body experiments show kids’ budding sense of self

    Sensing that “my body is me” starts early and develops over many years.

  10. Anthropology

    Neandertals had an eye for patterns

    Neandertals carved notches in a raven bone, possibly to produce a pleasing or symbolic pattern, scientists say.

  11. Archaeology

    Palace remains in Mexico point to ancient rise of centralized power

    An ancient royal structure gets new life in southern Mexico.

  12. Archaeology

    Ancient Romans may have been cozier with Huns than they let on

    Nomadic Huns and Roman farmers shared ways of life on the Roman Empire’s fifth century frontier.