Scientists tracked faint signals from the stars — and may have turned up hundreds of undiscovered planets

Scientists have developed a technique to find planets by tracking faint signals in starlight from magnetically inactive stars, which may indicate debris from close-orbiting planets absorbing specific light frequencies. Using this method on 24 stars, researchers discovered seven new planets and found exoplanet occurrence rates were eight to 10 times higher than traditional surveys. The team estimates approximately 300 undiscovered planets may exist around 241 similar stars within 1,600 light-years of Earth, potentially making planet hunting significantly more efficient.