A major new study has pinpointed 45 rocky planets beyond our solar system that could support life, in what scientists are calling a crucial step towards answering one of humanity’s oldest questions: are we alone? The research, published this week in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, draws on fresh data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission and the NASA Exoplanet Archive to narrow down the most promising targets among more than 6,000 known exoplanets.

Led by researchers from Cornell University, the team compiled what they describe as a “catalogue of opportunity” — a shortlist of worlds sitting in the so-called habitable zone, where conditions may allow liquid water to exist. Out of those, 45 planets are considered strong candidates for habitability, while a further 24 fall within a stricter, more conservative definition of the zone.

Professor Lisa Kaltenegger, who led the study, said: “The findings could reshape how scientists search for life.” Planets on the outer edges of the habitable zone, she explained, may reveal where life-friendly conditions break down, while those with highly elliptical orbits could test whether worlds can remain habitable despite extreme seasonal shifts.

Crucially, the team also identified a subset of planets receiving stellar energy levels similar to Earth’s — widely seen as a key ingredient for sustaining life.

Among the most promising are TRAPPIST-1 e and TOI-715 b, both orbiting small, dim red stars. Their size and proximity make them prime targets for detailed observation.

Study author Gillis Lowry said: “These are exactly the kinds of worlds where we can start to look for atmospheres and, ultimately, signs of life.”

The catalogue is already being used to guide observations with the James Webb Space Telescope, and is expected to shape future missions including the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, the Extremely Large Telescope and the planned Habitable Worlds Observatory.

Scientists say the breakthrough is not about proving life exists elsewhere — not yet — but about dramatically improving the odds of finding it.

Lowry said: “Identifying where to look is the first key step. This gives us the best possible targets.”

Even before its official publication, the research had already begun influencing the field. Other teams have started observing the host stars of the identified planets, while early citations suggest the catalogue could quickly become a cornerstone resource for exoplanet science.

With next-generation telescopes coming online over the coming decades, astronomers now have a clearer map than ever before of where life beyond Earth might be hiding — and where to look first.