Expanding and Improving the Search for Habitable Worlds

Abstract

This review focuses on recent results in advancing our understanding of the location and distribution of habitable exo-Earth environments. We first review the qualities that define a habitable planet/moon environment. We extend these concepts to potentially habitable environments in our own Solar System and the current and future searches for biomarkers there, focusing on the primary targets for future exploratory missions: Mars, Europa, and Enceladus. We examine our current knowledge on the types of planetary systems amenable to the formation of habitable planets, and review the current state of searches for extra-solar habitable planets as well as expected future improvements in sensitivity and preparations for the remote detection of the signatures of life outside our Solar System.