The Planetary Habitability Laboratory (PHL) is a research

remote laboratory Remote laboratory (also known as online laboratory or remote workbench) is the use of telecommunications to remotely conduct real (as opposed to Virtuality, virtual) experiments, at the physical Location (geography), location of the operating te ...

intended to study the habitability of the Solar System and other stellar systems, specifically, potentially habitable exoplanets. The PHL is managed by the

University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo The University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo (UPRA or UPR Arecibo) is a public college in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. It is part of the University of Puerto Rico. UPR-Arecibo was previously the (CRA, 'Arecibo Regional College') and (CUTA, 'Arecibo Techno ...

with the collaboration of international scientists from different organizations including the

SETI Institute The SETI Institute is a not-for-profit research organization incorporated in 1984 whose mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe, and to use this knowledge to inspire and guide present and futu ...

and

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...

. The Laboratory is directed by

astrobiologist Astrobiology, and the related field of exobiology, is an interdisciplinary scientific field that studies the origins, early evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Astrobiology is the multidisciplinary field that investig ...

Professor

Abel Méndez Professor Abel Méndez is a planetary astrobiologist and Director, at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo. His research focuses on the habitability of potentially habitable exoplanets. Méndez is also a NASA MIRS Fellow with research experien ...

. PHL is especially known for its

Habitable Exoplanets Catalog Habitability refers to the adequacy of an environment for human living. Where housing is concerned, there are generally local ordinances which define habitability. If a residence complies with those laws it is said to be habitable. In extreme e ...

, one of the most comprehensive catalogs on exoplanetary habitability.

References

University of Puerto Rico Search for extraterrestrial intelligence NASA Astrobiology {{astrobiology-stub