High Alert

Why the worst El Niño killed millions – and how we can avoid a repeat

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: New Scientist
Why the worst El Niño killed millions – and how we can avoid a repeatWorldPing
Image via New Scientist.

What happened

The world hasn't experienced an El Niño this strong since the 1870s, when it sparked a terrible global famine.

Are we better prepared this time?

Key facts

  • The world hasn't experienced an El Niño this strong since the 1870s, when it sparked a terrible global famine.
  • Reported by New Scientist and published Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:00:00 UTC.

Why it matters

Research findings and mission results set the evidence base that policy, funding and later discoveries build on.

What to watch next

  • Peer review status and replication of the findings
  • Mission milestones and next scheduled attempt
  • Funding or policy decisions that follow

Sources

The original report was published by New Scientist. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at New Scientist

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