(NEWSER) – A one-minute exercise routine? It's one of the discoveries to make headlines this week:
- Science Says Your Dog Hates Being Hugged: Thanks to that old wet blanket known as science, we now have compelling evidence that your dog hates it when you hug him. A psychology professor who specializes in canines reached this conclusion after studying photos of dog hugs online, and he explains the telltale signs he spotted.
- 50 Years of Spanking Studies Under Microscope: Old-school disciplinarians who believe in spanking might want to check out a mega-study that looks at 50 years of research and concludes that it might actually make behavior issues worse — and harm kids in ways similar to child abuse. Scientists have a theory on why people continue to spank.
- The Planet Is Getting Greener Thanks to Pollution: Scientists were surprised to find a dramatic increase in plant life around the world over the past 33 years instead of the global-warming-related "browning" they expected. It's all thanks to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but what's good for plants isn't necessarily good for the rest of the planet.
- Your Best Excuse for Not Exercising Is Gone: Scientists have found that just one minute of go-for-broke exercising may be as beneficial as a 45-minute moderate workout. The study has specifics on how participants made good use of that single minute.
- $500M Treasure Lies in Nazi Bunker, Historian Says: A Polish historian says a major Russian treasure may have been located. Bartlomiej Plebanczyk says he's "almost certain" that the Amber Room, a chamber made of gold leaf and amber panels and said to be worth $500 million, lies under an old World War II German bunker in northern Poland. But that's assuming it survived Soviet bombs.
Click to read about more discoveries.
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