Inside death stairs home trend taking the internet by storm and how to conquer it safely

Thrill-seekers who are in desperate need of an adrenaline boost need look no further than their own home for their next dose of action—that is, if they are (un)lucky enough to be in possession of a set of “death stairs.”While walking down a flight of stairs has not historically been considered the most death-defying of acts, one group of social media users is on a mission to change that misconception by highlighting the most dangerous, baffling, and downright weird step designs across the world, starting in their own homes.In a now-viral Facebook group, which is named “Death Stairs,” hundreds of users have been sharing images of the most mind-boggling steps they have come across, from those so steep that few would dare to descend them, to edgy designs that appear near-impossible to mount.According to the New York Times, the group started as something of an inside joke among a small group of friends.It has since expanded to more than 831,000 users—many of whom flood the group with “death stairs” photos daily.Described as a forum where “ascension is perilous and descending is deadly,” the group has featured all manner of images of these death stairs, which share just one common theme: They’re not for the faint of heart.One particularly popular post saw user Kevin Reid sharing an image of a vibrant green “staircase” inside his childhood home, which is made from pipe fittings and has no handrail, making for an incredibly risky route between stories.Reid’s stairs are just one of many examples that are popping up in the group, as well as on Instagram.

There, users happily share images of steps made from glass and rickety wood, along with those with carpet patterns so complex that it’s hard to know which way to look.But what, exactly, earns a staircase the “death stairs” label?According to the group’s description, stairs must only have some kind of “perilous” or “deadly” property, whether that’s a decaying structure or a t...