Nearby exoplanet trio new target in search for life

Despite being cool, star at system’s center could create habitable conditions

Dim red star illustration

CLOSE TO HOME A nearby dim red star hosts three possibly rocky worlds, similar to those illustrated here, that are close enough to Earth to search for signs of life.

JPL-Caltech/NASA

Three Earth-sized planets orbiting a star practically next-door might be a good place to hunt for alien life — or at least check out some worlds that are different from anything in our solar system.