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.
BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .
THIS is the EXPLOSIVE moment when a 50 metre high pylon came crashing down to earth in a rural field .
YOU’VE heard of the northern lights now feast your eyes on the natural wonder of the SOUTHERN lights .
TENNIS was a game made for three according to the first Victorian rule book .
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .
VENTURING into the ocean with self-made spears and nets, the fishermen of Zanzibar put their lives on the line when they catch food for their families .
A toddler has shrugged off death an incredible 10 times thanks to his parents who revive him with the kiss of life every two weeks .
BALANCING 30 metres above ground, these slackliners take the expression of living dangerously one step further, by tightrope walking NAKED .
SAT ON top of a Brazilian turtle’s head, this little ladybird looks content as he studies his environment from a new height .
BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .