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.
STANDING on its hind legs, a nosey polar bear presses its paws against the window of a truck and takes a peek at the tourist inside .
WELCOME to the Hidden Beach - the world's most idyllic BOMB SITE .
HEARTWARMING belongings lie abandoned in this eerie former dairy farm which has been left to crumble away for decades .
An Italian photographer travelled to Chile where he visited several star-gazing sites, home to some of the world's most advanced telescopes, located in the spectacular setting of the Atacama desert .
At first glance it might look like someone has taken their revenge on the makers of those infuriating insurance ads .
WITH their robotic movements and pristine uniforms, these are the sexy traffic girls of North Korea that are becoming iconic figures in the secretive state .
SAILING over crystal clear waters, the Bajau people of Malaysia live their lives almost entirely at SEA .
HOTSPOT MEDIA - BEAUTY QUEEN ACID SCARE: Miss England finalist, Karla Fitzpatrick, 19, at the Miss England contest .
Balanced on one leg, a frog assumes the crane kick martial arts stance made famous in the movie The Karate Kid .
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
NEVER mind being careful not to choke on your food, this mother bird has a bigger challenge on her hands, as her ravenous offspring impatiently launches its head down into her stomach .
CAMPED out in the middle of a forest, these unusual hut hotels take you back to basics .