Searching for Life Across Space and Time : Proceedings of a Workshop

The search for life is one of the most active fields in space science and involves a wide variety of scientific disciplines, including planetary science, astronomy and astrophysics, chemistry, biology, chemistry, and geoscience. In December 2016, the Space Studies Board hosted a workshop to explore the possibility of habitable environments in the solar system and in exoplanets, techniques for detecting life, and the instrumentation used. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop. Table of ContentsFront Matter1 Setting the Stage2 Habitable Environments in the Solar System3 Exoplanets4 Life Detection Techniques5 Instrumentation6 Future Directions: Report of Breakout Groups7 Wrap-UpAppendixesAppendix A: Statement of TaskAppendix B: Workshop AgendaAppendix C: Workshop ParticipantsAppendix D: Poster AbstractsAppendix E: Biographies of Committee Members