El Niño: The Phenomenon That Changes World Weather

In the late 19th century, fishermen in the port of Paita, Peru, knew their calendar by the sea. Most years, the coastal waters were cold and filled with anchovies. But every few years around Christmas, a strange warmth would arrive. This current brought unusual gifts like tropical coconuts, but it also drove the fish away. They called it 'El Niño', for the Christ Child, because of its timing. In 1892, a Peruvian Navy captain named Camilo Carrillo decided to investigate this local lore. He presented his formal findings to the Geographical Society of Lima, describing a warm, south-flowing countercurrent. At the time, everyone believed it was a curious, local event. No one could imagine its true, globe-spanning power.