This half hour video program features two case studies that explore the influence of physical geography in Latin America: Ecuador: Orange Alert and Chile: Pacific Rim Player. The first examines how humans interpret the dangers of their environment. It chronicles the science and sociology of monitoring volcanic activity in the Andes. The second study explores Chile's unique geography and the role it has played in the country's shift away from its traditional economy and European connections. The country's history is rooted in the Indian cultures of the Andes Mountains, but little of this heritage has been reflected since the Spanish entered Chile in 1536. Global interaction continues to exert powerful forces on this country.