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The Most Popular Scientific American Stories of 2012

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The top 10 most popular stories published in 2012:

1. Men and Women Can't Be "Just Friends"

2. The World’s Last Worm: A Dreaded Disease Nears Eradication


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3. NASA Crushes 2012 Mayan Apocalypse Claims 

4. How Hollywood Is Encouraging Online Piracy

5. Scientists Discover Children’s Cells Livingin Mothers’ Brains

6. Psychiatry's "Bible" Gets an Overhaul

7. “Once in a Civilization” Comet to Zip Past Earth Next Year

8. The Power of Introverts: A Manifesto for Quiet Brilliance

9. Obama and Romney Tackle 14 Top Science Questions

10. North Carolina Considers Making Sea Level Rise Illegal

Honorable mentions: old stories that surfaced with a vengeance this year.

Why Do Cats Purr? April 3, 2006

Why does lactic acid buildup in muscles? And why does I tcause soreness? January 23, 2006

How Long Can a Person Survive without Food? November 8, 2004

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