(Photo by Maya Springhawk Robnett - KAWC)

Inside the former Yuma Kmart building, which closed in 2007.

The Arizona Science Desk team has spent the past year reporting on science, technology, health and innovation around the state.

Here's a look back at the three most-viewed stories on science.kjzz.org in 2016.

Plan Would Turn Old Kmart Into Village For Alzheimer’s Patients

About 16 million baby boomers are expected to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease by 2050. Communities will bear the burden of caring for and housing these people. In Yuma, a Native American tribe has partnered with a private group to try something different — a self-contained village for dementia patients.

New Species Of Extinct Reptile Found In Arizona’s Petrified Forest

Paleontologists identified a new species of an extinct, crocodile-like creature in Petrified Forest National Park. The 15-foot long reptile lived during the Triassic period, more than 200 million years ago. It belonged to a group of heavily armored plant-eaters.

University Of Arizona Study Debunks Native American Alcohol Use Myths

The beliefs are long-held and often-repeated — Native Americans have a high rate of alcohol use and abuse. University of Arizona research refutes those myths.