On Peru’s Pacific coast lies Chan-Chan, the former grand capital of the Chimù kingdom. Between 1250 and 1450, the El Niño phenomenon brought heavy rains, mudslides, and flooding that destroyed canals and palaces, triggering a food crisis. Devastated, Chan-Chan was later conquered by the Incas and never regained its former strength. In the Andes, nature could be as formidable as any army, and the Incas’ skill in adapting and engineering solutions across diverse environments was central to their s