In many African countries it’s common for dam levels to be monitored and the information to be shared, particularly during the dry seasons or if there’s a drought. But, warns Mike Muller, the danger is that news that dams have filled up can breed complacency, setting the scene for inaction and profligate use of water resources. In many countries across the world water crises have occurred because societies haven’t taken action until it’s too late. South Africa is a case in point.

Phones have become the new fetish. We check them when we wake up. We constantly keep an eye on them while at work – often while beavering away on our computers – and a phone screen is often the last thing we look at before we go to sleep. Does this have an impact on the effectiveness of our brains, and if so, how? Daniel B. le Roux reviewed the research that’s been done to establish what’s been found. The answer is: it’s complicated, and there’s still lots of uncertainty about the long-term effects of digital device use on our cognitive functions.

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