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.
BLOWING bubbles underwater, this adorable polar bear slides into his tank for a playful dip .
BREATHING life back into old photographs, these black and white images are transformed by colour .
A puppy bit off more than he could chew when he stole a six inch Chinese spare rib from his owner and swallowed it WHOLE, Cheeky Staffordshire bull terrier Rossi had his life SPARED when he underwent a life-saving operation to remove the bone from his stomach after swiping part of the takeaway meal .
THIS alien-like bug would look more at home in outer-space but it can actually be found wriggling around here on Earth .
STAIRWAY obsessed photographers have captured psychedelic shots that will mesmerise you .
STRIKING photos capture nature at its most raw and powerful during Earth’s most electrifying event .
An Italian photographer travelled to northern India where he visited poverty stricken suburbs and captured ordinary people in a series of intimate and expressive portraits .
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
Armed with a snorkel, flippers and her skimpy bikini, an intrepid female free diver swims alongside an array of reef sharks .
Going for long rides through vast fields together, this twosome share an unbreakable bond .
The gunslingers are long gone and tumbleweeds have taken over at this abandoned American Wild West Theme Park in Cornwall .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .