A mansard is a type of roof that was fashionable in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. Mansard roof extensions provide a larger floor area in comparison to a typical loft conversion, as the ceiling height is maximised around the whole perimeter of the space. They have a steeper angle to the outside edge (usually 70-80 degrees), and a lower slope on top, which is usually invisible from the street level. This increases the amount of standing area inside.

Architecture for London stands with MPs calling for the government to reduce VAT on green home improvements Rishi Sunak has said he will cut VAT to zero on solar panels, heat pumps and insulation installed in Britain’s homes. However, he hasn’t yet stated whether this will cover installation, or just the materials and products. The reduced VAT will allow more people to be able to afford to improve the energy efficiency of their home. Sunak has said the average household could save £1000 in taxes from the installing solar panels. When combined with other energy saving measures such as insulation and heat pumps, this saving has the potential to be even higher.

In 2017, scientists from Imperial re-examined an overlooked museum fossil which was originally found in France in 1930 and discovered that it was the earliest member of the titanosauriform family – a diverse group of sauropod dinosaurs which included some of the largest animals ever to have walked on Earth. The fossil, named Vouivria damparisensis by Imperial researchers and their colleagues in Europe, is thought to be 160 million years old, making it the oldest known titanosauriform fossil to

The Arctic is experiencing climate change at a faster pace than the rest of the world. Having already had to adapt, the Indigenous people of Norway, Sweden, Finland and north-western Russia – the Saami – now face a new threat to their existence as industrial wind farms are constructed on their ancestral lands to supply the western world’s growing demand for green energy.

Suhad Adam is one of the health advocates at the Sunflower clinic. She moved to the UK with her husband seven years ago from Sudan, where she volunteered in the community supporting women with FGM. She remembers talking to her husband, a surgeon, at their home in the UK: “He’s so worried when he sees women with FGM. With type 3, many patients can’t do a smear test. It’s difficult for them to even open their legs because there is a trauma about what happened,” she said.

Thousands of years ago, our ancestors looked to the skies, and overwhelmed by the vast expanse above them, they looked for meaning in the unknown. It’s still one of the most important questions for many of us, where do I belong? Looking towards the infinite universe, the birthplace of moons, stars and planets, astrology was born. In a world where so much was unknown, people took comfort in finding ways to understand their place amongst the chaos.

“He walked into A&E, stood in the middle of the waiting area and slashed his wrists.” It’s a story that’s all too common for Dr Phil Anderton, the director of ADHD 360, a private clinic which offers treatment and support for adults and children with ADHD in the UK. He was speaking about one of his patients who was in desperate need of help. “We were the only agency that was helping him and it wasn’t good enough or quick enough for him,” he said. “Social services wouldn’t help him, his GP wouldn’t help him.” The hospital staff treated his physical wounds and discharged him, but at no point was he offered any psychiatric care.

“There always comes a stage when you have to run.” From killer hornets, to bushfires and a global pandemic, if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected and always listen to the experts. If dinosaurs end up attacking, I’m taking advice from Sam Neill, who plays Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park films. “The thing about dinosaurs, and I know this from close experience,” he told podcasters Fitzy and Wippa, “is that they run faster than any living human being.”

Tigers are facing a new threat as 15,000 miles of new roads could cut through their habitats in Asia by 2050. With fewer than 4000 tigers in the wild today, it is vital that their habitats are protected, but many live in South Asia and Southeast Asia, in regions that are under increased pressure due to human development.

The Nobel Prizes have widely become regarded as the most influential award a person can achieve for lifetime accomplishments within the sciences. Looking at the award’s history, S Reid-Collins investigates the lack of diversity and what the Nobel Institute can do moving forward…

Imperial start-up SafetyNet Technologies has been awarded £1.1million to commercialise their technology which enables more sustainable fishing. Led by Imperial Alumni Dan Watson and Aran Dasan, alongside Nadia Laabs, the SafetyNet Technologies team have produced a light-emitting device which reduces fishing bycatch – fish and other marine animals that are caught unintentionally other than the target species.

“I am proud to be queer – it has given me the drive to do as much as I can to combat any biases and injustices within science and healthcare.” I joined the College’s Science Communication Master’s programme in September last year. The course fits me perfectly and allows me to combine my love of writing, investigating and the sciences. Prior to joining the course I’d studied journalism at undergraduate level, and was always keen to follow this into science communication and reporting.

We’ve had to hide. That’s what they’ve told us. People could never accept the absurdity of a man thinking analytically. We’ve been told from a young age that we protect. We serve. We’re told that our body shape, our higher muscle mass, even our hormone balances, all mean that our function is to fight. We are to protect women, the scientists, the philosophers, the inventors. We work in the factories and on the farms, heavy labour. We’re told that our strength is vital, without us women wouldn’t be able to continue their important work.

We look back at the past year to see how Imperial’s researchers could provide inspiration and help with your 2020 New Year’s resolutions. Need some help starting 2020 on the right foot? This research might offer some inspiration. DnaNudge, the world’s first DNA-Based service for healthier food choices, opened its flagship store in Covent Garden in November. The start-up was co-founded by Imperial professor Chris Toumazou.

Some surprise headlines need a second look, but quirky studies can often have a significant impact. From singing fish to anti-malarial soup, we take a look back at the stories which made readers do a double-take in 2019. In November, schoolchildren from London found their traditional family soups had antimalarial properties. Researchers from Imperial helped the schoolchildren test their clear homemade broths, originating from all over the world, and found that several of them showed activity

S Reid-Collins sheds light on the struggles faced by the Arctic’s indigenous communities. People around the world are talking. They are desperately looking for answers, for solutions. The planet has warmed at an alarming rate (nearly 1o C over the past century, according to NASA) and activist groups, such as Extinction Rebellion, are taking to the streets to make their voices heard. But the voices least heard are of those most affected. Indigenous people across the globe rely on their close relationship with the land for their livelihood. Climate change is seriously affecting that.

The third-place medal game of 2019 International WFTDA Championships in Montréal featured Victorian Roller Derby League of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (Seed #3, WFTDA #2) against Arch Rival Roller Derby of St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. (Seed #4, WFTDA #5). Although clichéd, both teams certainly had something to prove as they fought for bronze in the third place game. For Arch Rival, which has accelerated through the rankings over the past two years, this was their first WFTDA Championships medal

From disease roulette to infection-detecting dogs, November’s Imperial Lates event explored infections, deadly diseases, and our work to beat them. The free event of stalls and talks showcased a malaria jungle, an infectious arcade, fly swatting and Mrs X, a superbug inspired play exploring the work of Sir Alexander Fleming and the impact of antibiotic resistance in the modern day. The evening was part of the ongoing Imperial Lates series of evening showcases where researchers and academics...

After Friday’s bracket upsets, the top-seeded teams dominated Day 2 of the 2019 International WFTDA Playoffs in Winston-Salem. After playing some incredibly hard-fought games, Texas Rollergirls (Seed #1) and Angel City Derby (Seed #2) will compete for the gold medal on Sunday, and clinched their spots at the 2019 International WFTDA Championships in November. Rainy City Roller Derby (Seed #3) and 2×4 Roller Derby (Seed #4) will play for bronze and the third spot at Champs. More on the day’s act

Why does everything have to be about vampires? Werewolves have feelings too, says Sarah Collins With the new season of Being Human starting soon, Wolfblood on CBBC , and the upcoming release of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 , werewolves have definitely been on our minds here at SFX . Hey, you can even take part in a werewolf experience thanks to Wish.co.uk. The furry fiends have been a staple of horror films since Werewolf Of London was released in 1935