Astronomers have discovered a nearby solar system with seven planets similar in size to Earth, a remarkably rich cache of new worlds that could bolster prospects for detecting life elsewhere in the universe. The planets were found orbiting closely around a small red dwarf star located just over 39 light-years away from our solar system. Based on the amount of energy the star emits, at least three of the planets are located in the star's so-called habitable zone, meaning that it is possible for water to exist on their surfaces in a liquid state under the right atmospheric conditions.