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Most E-mailed Stories of 2007 Discover the most e-mailed stories of 2007 — the top 25 stories that NPR.org users shared with their families, friends and co-workers. From sinus irrigation to the mysterious properties of the note B flat, dive into this zeitgeist from the NPR community.
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Most E-mailed Stories of 2007

Students' View of Intelligence Can Help Grades

A new study in the journal Child Development shows that if you teach students that their intelligence isn't fixed — that it can grow and increase — they do better in school.

Students' View of Intelligence Can Help Grades

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Terrence Howard: 'I Would Be a Witness'

Actor Terrence Howard introduces viewers to the film Knocking." It's a look inside the Jehovah's Witness religion. He talks candidly about the film and his personal connection to the faith.

Terrence Howard: 'I Would Be a Witness'

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Driveway Moments

Have You Heard About B Flat?

For reasons that remain mostly mysterious, the note we call "B flat" does the oddest things. It aggravates alligators, it lurks in the stairwell of an office building, and it emanates from a supermassive black hole 250 million light years from Earth.

Have You Heard About B Flat?

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Can Thoughts and Action Change Our Brains?

For years, scientists believed the brain's structure couldn't be changed. The new science of neuroplasticity says that's not the case, and argue the brain is much more flexible than previously thought. Science writer Sharon Begley talks about her new book, Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain.

Can Thoughts and Action Change Our Brains?

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Beating Charges Split La. Town Along Racial Lines

Six black high school students could face decades in prison if found guilty in the beating of a white student in a dispute over a "whites only" tree. Their supporters say the charges are disproportionate to the crime and charge prosecutors with racism.

Beating Charges Split La. Town Along Racial Lines

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Rafe Esquith Offers His Fiery Teaching Methods

Rafe Esquith has taught kids from some of the toughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles. His book, 'Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire,' outlines the methods he's found to be successful.

Rafe Esquith Offers His Fiery Teaching Methods

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What Does It Take to Clean Fresh Food?

Any fresh produce that's grown in dirt, then plucked and processed by human hands, runs the risk of becoming contaminated along the way with microbes that can cause food poisoning. Do you need veggie wash solutions, or can you just rub an apple clean on your sleeve?

What Does It Take to Clean Fresh Food?

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The College Admissions Game

Some Top Students Look for Hidden-Gem Colleges

It's a mini-trend among high school students. Some are choosing small, lesser-known schools over more prestigious colleges. They say they want to go to a college that fits who they are.

Some Top Students Look for Hidden-Gem Colleges

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Krulwich Wonders...

Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter ... and Umami

In the 1800s, a chef in Paris created a liquid that deepened the flavor of everything it touched. Its flavor wasn't any combination of the four recognized tastes. It took a Japanese soup lover and  scientists to acknowledge a fifth taste: umami.

Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter ... and Umami

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