The search for habitable exoplanets spans far and wide, pushing the limits of what our modern telescopes are capable of. But rest assured that we aren’t ignoring what’s in our own backyard.

Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about ...

Finding a habitable planet in the nearest star system is an ongoing quest. But the overall habitability of the Alpha Centauri system based on its three stars, just over 4 light-years away, could be ...