Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō hits middle age—and it shows

Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō was still close to its maximum height of 255 m (835 ft) in 1992 (top), although its western flank had been partly buried by a lava shield. Since then, the cone has lost a third of its former height due to collapses, and lava has continued to bury its flanks (bottom). USGS photos.