Ammon News - It's one of the biggest unanswered questions in science.

Are there aliens out there, and if so, where are they hiding?

Now, researchers may have taken a huge step towards answering this question.

Using NASA's TESS space telescope, a team from Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets has detected a 'super–Earth' 35 light–years away that might be habitable.

The planet, called L 98–59 f, is one of five worlds found orbiting a red dwarf star called L 98–59.

However, it is the only one with the right conditions to support life.

'Finding a temperate planet in such a compact system makes this discovery particularly exciting,' said Charles Cadieux, lead author of the study.

'It highlights the remarkable diversity of exoplanetary systems and strengthens the case for studying potentially habitable worlds around low–mass stars.'

L 98–59 was first discovered in 2019, and was originally confirmed to have just four planets around it.

However, by carefully reanalysing data collected from ground–based and space–based telescopes, the team was able to identify a fifth planet.

This planet does not transit its host star – meaning it doesn't pass directly between us and the star.

However, its presence was confirmed through subtle variations in the star's motion.

The scientists believe the planet receives about the same amount of stellar energy as Earth does from the sun.

Excitingly, this places it 'firmly' within the habitable zone – a region where water could remain in liquid form.

The new study also sheds light on the four other planets orbiting the star.

The innermost planet, L 98–59 b, is about 84 per cent the size of Earth, and about half its mass. Daily Mail