The famous fountains of the Las Vegas strip in the middle of the Nevada desert will no longer spray water. Instead the fountains will be switched to spray sand, of which there is an abundant supply locally.

The famous Luxor Pyramid Hotel (I've stayed there - it smelled of feet) will now be surrounded by sand fountains and scientists estimate that within 5 years the pyramid and the sphinx will be buried under a mountain of sand blown from the fountains.

The Venetian Hotel's fake canals will also be filled with sand and instead of a ride in a fake gondola, visitors will be offered a ride on a live camel - 'the ship of the desert'.

Other cities are expected to follow the example of Vegas, for example it is reported that the fountains of Rome will also stop spraying water and instead emit different flavors of gelato depending on the time of day.