twins Johanna and Eva Gill
a dying tornado roping out in Regan, North Dakota
a parent caressing his newborn baby girl in Russia
a heyoka burning sage on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota
a Native American passenger packed tightly in a loaded car
two boys flying kites in Yemen
a girl dancing in the kitchen of her home in Romania
a group of Cubans playing dominoes at Parque Lenin in Havana, Cuba
emperor penguins swimming underwater
a giant sequoia tree in California
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Martin SchoellerTwins | January 2012Six-year-old Johanna Gill puts a protective hand on her sister, Eva. The twins both have mild autism, a disorder linked to genetic inheritance.More than 900 images were published in National Geographic this year. Editor in Chief Chris Johns chose his top ten. “Invariably the best photographs will always surprise you. You’ll see something you couldn’t have imagined,” he says.Watch Johns discuss his picks in a video from the December digital edition of National Geographic.www.martinschoeller.com

Best of 2012 - National Geographic Magazine Photos of the Year

National Geographic Editor in Chief Chris Johns picks his favorite photos published in 2012.

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