The sun in our solar system does a great job nourishing life on Earth, but a new study shows that it might not be the best candidate for the job. Edward Guinan and collaborators at Villanova University in Pennsylvania compared different types of stars in probability for hosting a planet that can sustain carbon-based life. The group published their result in August at the International Astronomical Union meeting in Rio de Janeiro and in an online publication at arXiv.org on November 10, 2009. The study may provide future direction in searching for extraterrestrial life.