Bringing Birmingham to You: Cosmic Clues

14 January 2026 at 18:00

Join us for an evening of cosmic curiosity as part of our Bringing Birmingham to You series. We’ll be joined by Professor Amaury Triaud, an astrophysicist whose research focuses on planets orbiting distant stars. Amaury will challenge assumptions about what makes a planet habitable and why finding an “Earth twin” is far harder than you might think. From the decades-long process of studying planetary atmospheres to the mysteries of binary star systems, this talk will reveal the incredible diversity of worlds in our galaxy.

Expect thought-provoking questions like:

• Is biology as universal as the laws of physics?

• Why do we search for life using Earth as our template?

• What can planetary systems like TRAPPIST-1 teach us about the cosmos?

Amaury’s goal isn’t to make you believe—it’s to make you think, and adapt to whatever is true.

Event details:

• Date & Time: Wednesday 14 January | 18:00–20:30

• Location: Poynting Building (R13 on our campus map)

• Extras: After the talk, enjoy rooftop telescope viewing (weather permitting), research demos, and refreshments.