The slaughter of hundreds of young children and llamas in 15th century Peru may have been in response to a huge El Nino. More than 140 boys and girls aged between five and 14 were slaughtered in what is thought to be a mass sacrifice to appease the gods of a now extinct religion. Many of the children and juvenile animals had their hearts cut out during the grisly ritual. It is thought a huge El Niño caused major flooding and storms which triggered the bloody sacrifice. Analysis of the remains of more than 200 juvenile llamas and humans dates it to approximately 1450, during the peak of the Chimu civilisation in northern coastal Peru.—Monitoring desk