Nearby orange stars may support life, says new study
Scientists have spotted hundreds of nearby "orange dwarf" stars (K-type stars) that could be great places to look for Earth-like life.
These stars are more stable and less intense than many others, making them friendlier for potential habitability.
What the researchers did
A team led by Sebastian Carrazco-Gaxiola checked out over 2,000 K-type stars in the Sun's neighborhood, using powerful telescopes in Chile and Arizona.
They took a closer look at 580 of these stars within about 108 light-years—studying their age, spin, temperature, and chemistry—to find which ones might best support planets like ours.
Why these orange dwarfs matter
Only about 7.5% of the studied K dwarfs have confirmed exoplanets so far. But the researchers flagged over 500 calm, mature K dwarfs as top spots to search for new worlds.
These orange dwarfs are not only twice as common as Sun-like stars nearby—they also live longer and give off gentler radiation than red dwarfs or massive suns.
That makes them especially promising in the hunt for life beyond Earth!