Shortly after we resurfaced from last year's underground edition of Best of Phoenix, we dove into the Valley's research centers, laboratories, and archives to put our city under the microscope.

This year's Best of Phoenix tells stories of local inventions, strange theories, and scientific processes with photographs, videos, and illustrations that we found fit best (and most naturally) on an interactive periodic table.

See also: - Best of Phoenix 2011: Dig into the Local Underground with Our Interactive Map - Best of Phoenix 2010: Hero Worship

Throughout the year, we talked to astronomers, archaeologists, engineers, doctors, brain surgeons, and cryogenics teams who toured us through their own experiments and ground-breaking technologies that put Phoenix on the scientific map.

And with the help of illustrator, David Quan (aka Luster Kaboom -- he's back!), videographers, photographers, and a large team of writers, we put together more 90 elements of Phoenix that make this place what it is.

So grab a microscope -- and maybe a pair of gloves -- and let the table guide you through our very scientific Best of Phoenix.

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• Best of Phoenix