The Haʻikū Stairs, also known as the Stairway to Heaven or Haʻikū Ladder, is a steep hiking trail on the island of Oʻahu. The trail began as a wooden ladder spiked to the cliff on the south side of the Haʻikū Valley. It was installed in 1942 to enable antenna cables to be strung from one side of the cliffs above Haʻikū Valley to the other. A building to provide a continuous communication link between Wahiawā and Haʻikū Valley Naval Radio Station was constructed at the peak of Puʻukeahiakahoe, elevation about 2,800 feet (850 m). The antennae transmitted very low frequency radio signals from a 200,000-watt Alexanderson alternator in the center of Haʻikū valley. The signals could reach US Navy submarines as far away as Tokyo Bay while the submarines were submerged.

“The Sunsetter”. An EF-4 tornado rips through the open space of farmland near Rozel, Kansas. This tornado moves slowly but powerful towards the setting sun an gets its beautiful color right before sunset. Storm Chasers are spotting on the left side. Photo location: Rozel, Kansas. (Photo and caption by Dennis Oswald/National Geographic Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.

“Cassowaries are large, flightless birds related to emus and (more distantly) to ostriches, rheas, and kiwis”, writes Olivia Judson in the September issue of National Geographic magazine. How large? People-size: Adult males stand well over five foot five and top 110 pounds. Females are even taller, and can weigh more than 160 pounds. Dangerous when roused, they’re shy and peaceable when left alone. But even birds this big and tough are prey to habitat loss. The dense New Guinea and Australia rain forests where they live have dwindled. Today cassowaries might number 1,500 to 2,000. And because they help shape those same forests – by moving seeds from one place to another – “if they vanish”, Judson writes, “the structure of the forest would gradually change” too. (Photo by Christian Ziegler/National Geographic)

A prisoner from the Pedrinhas prison is carried to receive medical help after he was injured during a fight between rival gangs inside the jail, in Sao Luiz, capital of Maranhao state, January 8, 2014. The recent posting on a major Brazilian news website of a video filmed last December 17 by Pedrinhas prisoners of the decapitated and tortured bodies of rival inmates inside the jail has highlighted some of the problems present in the country's prison system which houses nearly twice as many prisoners as its capacity, according to official statistics. (Photo by Douglas Cunha/Reuters/O Estado do Maranhão)

“Daredevil photographer Krystle Wright suffered a catalogue of injuries after an accident on a shoot in Pakistan. The 26-year-old was left with internal bruising, tendon damage, two fractures, a torn ligament and 10 stitches above her eye following the horrific fall in the Himalayas. Wright took to the air on a dual paraglider and flew at a stomach-churning 18,000 feet to capture the incredible images. But as she neared the end of her trip Wright hit a bolder and blacked out following a bad take-off. The keen photographer, from Queensland, Australia, has travelled the world shooting some of the most awe-inspiring extreme sport stunts”. – Caters News. Photo: Screenshot of Krystle and Hernan, taken on a foot mounted GoPro. (Photo by Krystle Wright/Caters News)

These picture capture the hilarious moment a cheeky little bee decides to pick on a grumpy bear. A massive Kodiak bear is finding this pesky bee a pain in the bear-hind as it buzzes around his head just out of reach. This incredible comedic moment was captured in the bear den at Buffalo Zoo. Terry Cervi from Buffalo, New York, U.S.A. saw this incredible sight on one of her regular visits to her local zoo. (Photo by Terry Cervi/Caters News)

These stunning images could be mistaken for a cheetah ravenously chasing down a dog, but in fact, the pair are best of friends. Savanah, the one-and-a-half-year-old cheetah and Max, who is just a few weeks younger, were put together when Savanah was just 10-weeks-old. Ever since, their friendship has amazed visitors at Cincinatti Zoo, who are delighted but confused as to why the spotted beast hasnt eaten the dashing hound. So, when it snowed, Savanah and Max just like young children were very excitable and wasted no time playing in the snow. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

This composite image shows a sequence, from bottom left to top left, of the moon's transition during a total lunar eclipse on April 15, 2014 in Miami, Florida. People in most of north and south America should be able to witness this year's first total lunar eclipse, which will cause a “blood moon” and is the first of four in a rare Tetrad of eclipses over the next two years. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)