What happened
A new study examined coral skeletons spanning thousands of years to reconstruct past climate patterns.
The researchers found that El Niño events have grown more powerful as global temperatures have continued to climb.
Why it matters
If El Niño strengthens with ongoing warming, its effects on global weather—from droughts to floods—could become more severe.
The coral-based evidence provides a long-term perspective that may help scientists better predict future El Niño behavior.
Key facts
The study is based on analysis of coral skeletons from the past millennium.
The research links rising global temperatures to increasingly intense El Niño events.
What to watch next
Further studies may clarify how quickly El Niño intensity escalates as the climate warms.
Updated climate models could incorporate coral-derived data to refine regional weather forecasts.