AN Irish woman has become the first adult in the world to receive a revolutionary REMOTE CONTROLLED 'ROBO SPINE', which uses magnets to combat the effects of scoliosis. Deirdre McDonnell, 34, from Drogheda, County Louth, can now stand tall for the first time after undergoing the pioneering MAGEC rod operation. The operation, also known as the magnetic expansion control system, involves the insertion of a magnetic rod that is screwed onto the spine and controlled externally in order to correct the curvature caused by scoliosis. Up until now, the £15K procedure has only been performed on children, as it was thought only to be effective for early onset scoliosis - typically diagnosed before the age of ten.
SAILING over crystal clear waters, the Bajau people of Malaysia live their lives almost entirely at SEA .
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OFFERING a glimpse into the past, a mash-up of old and new photographs show how the world’s biggest cities have changed .
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A diver explores the crystal clear waters of the Silfra canyon in southern Iceland, which is the only place on Earth where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates .
WITH A LITTLE cap of fresh snow resting on his head, this squirrel tries his best to pull off his new look .
Villages on the Somerset Levels have faced weeks of flooding with no respite from the conditions in sight .