These 45 exoplanets may be the best places to search for alien life

"While it's hard to say what makes something more likely to have life, identifying where to look is the first key step.

In a new study, a team of researchers led by Lisa Kaltenegger of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University identified 45 rocky exoplanets that sit within their stars' habitable zones, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist on their surfaces. Out of more than 6,000 known exoplanets, these worlds represent some of the most compelling places to search for alien life.

Crucially, this new exoplanet catalog is not meant to be an exhaustive list of potentially habitable worlds. Instead, it serves as a strategy for future research. The team highlighted which planets are best suited for different observation techniques, helping guide powerful instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope and other observatories to probe for biosignatures, or potential signs of life.