Bruce Bower
Behavioral Sciences Writer, Science News
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
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Archaeology
America’s first settlers may have arrived 130,000 years ago
An archaeological site where mastodon remains were found suggests that the first Americans may have arrived unexpectedly early.
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Fossils
This hominid may have shared Earth with humans
Newfound fossils in South Africa point to a far more recent age for Homo naledi than had been accepted. If correct, this hominid might have coexisted with humans — even interacted with our species.
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Archaeology
Stone Age dentists treated cavities with tar
Is Italy the home of dentistry? That’s where treated tooth decay has been found, dating back 14 millennia. Cavities appear picked clean with sharp tools. Ouch!
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Health & Medicine
Ötzi the mummified Iceman actually froze to death
Ötzi the Iceman, a mummy whose icy 5,300-year-old remains turned up in the Alps in 1991, died of the cold — not murder. That’s the result of new forensic analyses.
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Archaeology
Silk Road’s origins may date back millennia
The mountain treks of ancient herders helped mold a cross-continent trade network known as the Silk Road.
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Psychology
Physically abused kids struggle to learn about rewards
What physically abused kids learn about rewards at home can lead to misbehavior elsewhere.
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Health & Medicine
Mental illness may be a common life experience
Those who stay mentally healthy from childhood to middle age are exceptions to the rule. Most people don’t, a new study reveals.
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Humans
Big Viking families got away with murder
The most deadly Vikings came from families that were big enough to discourage revenge.
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Life
Surprising primate fossils found in an Indian coal mine
Bones of a 54.5-million-year-old primate suggest India might have been a hotbed of early primate evolution.
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Archaeology
‘Cousin’ Lucy may have fallen from a tree to her death 3.2 million years ago
A contested study suggests that Lucy, a famous fossil ancestor of humans, fell from a tree to her death.
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Tech
Moral dilemma could limit appeal of driverless cars
Driverless cars will have to be programmed to decide who to save in emergencies — passengers or pedestrians. Many people aren’t yet sure they are ready to choose cars that make the most moral decision.
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Humans
Cave holds earliest signs of fire-making in Europe
Ancient burned bone and heated stones in a Spanish cave are the oldest evidence of ancient fire-making in Europe.