A paper published on the astronomy preprint server last week investigates whether life could develop and survive in globular clusters. These stellar environments are often ignored as potential cradles of civilisation, but this study shows that they could have more potential than previously thought.

The authors find that globular clusters have large "sweet spots" where planets can orbit within the habitable zone of their host for long periods of stability. They also consider the prospects for free-floating planets, and the prospects for civilisations within globular clusters to develop outposts.

The paper, by di Stefano & Ray, can be downloaded here.