Researchers Find 10,091 Exoplanet Candidates in TESS Data, Potentially Doubling Known Worlds
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · May 12
Researchers Find 10,091 Exoplanet Candidates in TESS Data, Potentially Doubling Known Worlds
8 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · May 12
10,091 possible exoplanets emerged from a new AI-assisted scan of NASA TESS observations, a haul that would far exceed the 6,286 exoplanets confirmed so far if verified.
The method reprocessed TESS data from its first year in 2018 and expanded the search beyond bright stars to 83 million fainter stars the satellite had already observed.
The objects remain candidates until follow-up evidence confirms them, and the study has been posted on ArXiv but is still awaiting peer review.
Finding many more exoplanets could sharpen the search for Earth-like worlds and possible signs of life, a goal that has gained urgency after disputed 2025 claims around K2-18b.
NASA is also preparing a possible 2026 launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is designed to discover thousands more exoplanets through gravitational microlensing.
As discoveries reveal thousands of new planets, why does the universe's silence on alien life grow even more profound?
AI just delivered 10,000 potential new worlds. How will we decide which one could harbor life?
Doubling the Exoplanet Candidate Count: How AI and TESS Unveiled Over 11,000 New Worlds
Overview
In April 2026, researchers led by Princeton University made a groundbreaking discovery by analyzing data from NASA's TESS mission. By carefully examining observations from TESS's first year and studying over 83 million stars, the team identified 11,554 new exoplanet candidates. This effort effectively doubled the known number of exoplanet candidates and marked a major leap in our understanding of how common planets are in the galaxy. The discovery not only highlights the power of large-scale surveys but also opens new possibilities for exploring planetary systems around a wide variety of stars.