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

On the left, a giant orange arc emerges, rising slightly. between that, all the way right, through the middle, seven planets of varying colors and texturs.

Astronomers have narrowed the search for extraterrestrial life from thousands of distant worlds down to just a few dozen promising candidate planets, offering a clearer roadmap for one of science's biggest questions: Are we alone?

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.