The habitable zone, also known as the Goldilocks zone, refers to the region around a star where conditions are just right for liquid water to exist on the surface of a planet. This zone is defined by the distance from the star where a planet could potentially support life as we know it. Scientists study habitable zones in exoplanetary systems to assess the likelihood of finding potentially habitable worlds beyond our solar system. By identifying planets within the habitable zone of their host star, researchers hope to discover environments where life could exist.