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.
These photographs of extreme weather capture storms furiously rolling across the sky above America .
SWIMMING slowly towards the shore, a small group of bottlenose dolphins arrive for breakfast at a beach in Western Australia .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
These are the faces of orphans suffering from the horrifying effects of chemical warfare .
Throwing a right hook as he launches onto his opponent with his gnarling teeth at the ready, this is the OTTER-LY ruthless showdown between two otters .
A group of shelter dogs showcase their loveable personalities in a series of passport-style photographs - in the hope of finding their forever homes .
A soap bubble lands on the frosty ground and creates a shimmering snow globe as crystals form around it .
Playing, splashing and generally messing around, these polar bears show they certainly have a soft spot for the water, and not just each other .
An Italian photographer travelled to the highlands of New Guinea where he met an Indonesian tribe untouched by the modern world .
BREATHING life back into old photographs, these black and white images are transformed by colour .
Primed and ready for action, this collection of striking images from the battlefield could be mistaken for authentic photos taking during World War II .
THIS incredible shimmer of silver fish mirrors the image of that of an underwater tornado .