NPR News

Much of the scientific world is directly observable. We can take photographs, micrographs, measurements and recordings. These data help us understand the world around us and allow us to communicate what we know. But there's another world we can't see.

Enter the International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge. For eight years, it's been a joint venture between the National Science Foundation and Science magazine to showcase "cutting-edge efforts to visualize scientific data, principles and ideas."

In a controversial move, the Wake County School board in North Carolina voted to end its "busing-for-diversity" program in favor of sending children to schools in their own neighborhood. Host Liane Hansen talks with Superintendent Tony Tata, a military brigadier general and the former COO of the D.C. school system.

Demonstrations are under way Morocco, called by a coalition of youth groups, labor unions and human rights organizations demanding a new constitution that would bring greater democracy in the North African kingdom.

During the march in the capital, Rabat, protesters shouted slogans calling for economic opportunity, educational reform, better health services and help in coping with rising living costs.

There are also protests in the North African country of Libya. The government of Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, keeps tight control over the media, and few foreign journalists are allowed into the country. But some news is getting out. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Sarah Leah Whitson of Human Rights Watch about anti-government protests in Libya.

The case of an American who faces murder charges in Pakistan is straining the already delicate relationship between the two countries. Raymond Davis is accused of fatally shooting two Pakistanis late last month. Davis says he fired in self-defense because the two were about to rob him. Host Liane Hansen talks with Najam Sethi, editor-in-chief of the Friday Times in Pakistan about strained relations between the U.S. and Pakistan over the case of an American charged with murder.