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.
NEW DELHI, A woman activist of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party crosses a police barricade near the residence of ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi during a protest against the recent rape of a five-year-old girl in New Delhi, India, April 21, 2013 .
A pair of BEAUTIFUL rescue sea turtles spot their catch in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef .
A SPECTACULAR array of stars fills the night sky as they soar over this active volcano .
A blanket of fog is lit up by the colourful glowing lights of the city below .
AT first glance these images could easily be mistaken for photographs, but they are in-fact real life drawings created using nothing but coloured pencils .
A TEN-THOUSAND square foot wide Avatar-style grove is such a beauty it will leave you feeling VINE .
A pair of adorable polar bear cubs play-fight with each other in the Alaskan snow .
CONTRASTING settings reveal some of England’s most beautiful landscapes in all their glory .
A BLIND man was battered with a brick in a sickening attack by two thugs .
FLEXING his muscles and staring straight at his opponent, this bodybuilding squirrel is the nuts .
Full of tired and busy commuters, these underground stations are rarely admired for their architecture or beauty .