Author: BBC World Service

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CrowdScience - Are we mature by 18?

18 is the age of majority, or maturity, in most countries around the world. Depending where you live, it might be when you can vote, buy alcohol, or get married. But what's so special about 18 that makes it the beginning of adulthood? CrowdScience listener Lynda didn't feel very mature back then. She recalls a difficult decision that made her wonder what science has to say about when we’re truly grown up. How developed are we, physically, mentally and emotionally, by the age of 18? And how much does this differ between people, or from culture to culture? Presenter Caroline Steel digs around for answers with the aid of neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, biological anthropologist Barry Bogin, and cultural anthropologist Bonnie Hewlett. And even some teenagers. Contributors: Barry Bogin, Emeritus Professor of Biological Anthropology, Loughborough University Sarah-Jayne Blakemore - Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge Professor Bonnie Hewlett - Associate Professor, Cultural Anthropology, WSU Vancouver

Presenter: Caroline Steel Producer: Richard Walker Editor: Cathy Edwards Production Co-Ordinator: Ishmael Soriano Studio Manager: Neva Missirian

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Focus on Africa - Why Nigeria risks floods from waters released by Cameroon

Nigeria warns of massive potential flooding after neighbouring Cameroon releases dam waters. Why has Nigeria failed to construct a buffer dam over the years?

We look at cybersecurity and its best practice in Africa

And why is Hungary sending soldiers to Chad?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Blessing Aderogba, Charles Gitonga, Rob Wilson, Patricia Whitehorne and Bella Hassan Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

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Unexpected Elements - Shiny: Why we are dazzled by new sparkly things

This week, Apple releases the new iPhone 16. It's new, it's shiny, and tech-nerds will be queueing round the block for a chance to snap it up. But why? We look at the science behind why we get so dazzled with new and shiny things.

We hear about the psychology behind our magpie tendencies, and find out it might all be connected to one of our deepest evolutionary drives: for clean, fresh, sparkling water.

And we find out what the shiniest thing in the natural world is. An extraordinary blue berry with some mesmerising visual qualities.

We find out about diamonds made from your dead pets. And, we dissect the science behind the first flush of love. Why do we get so obsessed with a new partner? And why doesn't the feeling last?

Presenter: Caroline Steel, with Kai Kupferschmidt and Phyllis Mwatee Producer: Harrison Lewis, with Emily Knight, Noa Dowling and Elizabeth Barsotti Sound engineer: Searle Whittney

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Science In Action - Flash floods in the Sahara

The Sahara Desert has been experiencing unusually heavy rainfall due to an extratropical cyclone, causing flash floods in Morocco. We hear from Moshe Armon of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A 485-million-year temperature record of Earth reveals Phanerozoic climate variability. Brian Huber of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC tells us more.

And Mary Lewis of Reading University discusses new research looking into what puberty was like for our ancestors towards the end of the last ice age. Teenagers from 25,000 years ago went through similar puberty stages as modern-day adolescents.

Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Jonathan Blackwell Production co-ordinator: Andrew Rhys Lewis

(Photo: Moroccan municipal workers and members of Auxiliary Forces help drain a road in a flooded neighbourhood in the city of Ouarzazate. Credit: Abderahim Elbcir/AFP/Getty Images)

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Focus on Africa - The abduction of children in South Sudan

Over one thousand children are feared still missing in Pibor, South Sudan. An initiative is now underway to try and reunite abducted children with their families. Over the past few weeks, around 200 of them have been brought back home. But why are they being abducted and by whom?

Also why did thousands of young people attempt to cross the border between Morocco and Ceuta, in the northern part of the continent over the weekend? And did you know that Ceuta is still a Spanish territory?

And why has South Africa's famous son, Elon Musk still not agreed a deal with the South African government and his company, Starlink?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Rob Wilson, Yvette Twagiramariya and Stefania Okereke Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Alice Mutehngi and Andre Lombard

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Focus on Africa - Why is Ghana’s opposition demanding a voters roll audit ?

Ahead of knife-edge December elections there are demands for an independent forensic audit of the voter register. The electoral commission says it is not needed. Why is the opposition party NDC adamant?

Communities in Guinea welcome the return of land taken from them violently by previous governments

Africa's future is urban- we explore what's behind the growth of megacities on the continent?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Sunita Nahar, Bella Hassan, Yvette Twagiramariya, Kaine Pieri and Nyasha Michelle in London. Technical Producer: Nick Randell Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

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Focus on Africa - Will Kenya’s labour deal with Germany work?

Kenya’s President Ruto has struck a labour deal with Germany, but how will the policy work, and will the skilled and semi-skilled workers arriving from Kenya be well-received?

Is Tanzania's increasing involvement in the tobacco industry sacrificing the health of its population?

And why did a student take Ghana's education department to court over his hairstyle?

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Charles Gitonga and Frenny Jowi in Nairobi. Yvette Twagiramariya, Benjamin Woodroof and Nyasha Michelle in London Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Technical producer: Francesca Dunne Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

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Focus on Africa - Why did Senegal’s president dissolve parliament?

Why did Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dissolve the National Assembly?

Consensual same sex acts are not a crime in Ivory Coast, so why are homophobic attacks on the rise?

Plus, we meet the man who's trying to save African indigenous vegetables from dying out.

Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers:  Charles Gitonga in Nairobi and Nyasha Michelle, Bella Hassan and Yvette Twagiramariya in London.  Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Technical producer: Francesca Dunne Editors:  Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

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Good Bad Billionaire - Zhang Yiming: TikTok’s tech boss

How did an unassuming software engineer become one of the richest people on the planet? This is the story of how Zhang Yiming transformed social media by creating TikTok, and how the Chinese tech company ByteDance became a multi-billion dollar business. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explore Yiming’s various successes with different apps before he hit the jackpot with TikTok. Then they decide whether they think he’s good, bad, or just another billionaire.

We’d love to hear your feedback. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176.

To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire