These are some of the most Mars-like landscapes on Earth

The sweeping, red-washed desert in Wadi Rum, Jordan, is eerily similar a Martian landscape. Which is exactly why director Ridley Scott filmed many scenes there for his movie "The Martian," due out October 2.

A convincing setting for the film is critical, since Mars is a character unto itself in the survivalist story. The movie follows astronaut Mark Watney (played by Matt Damon) and his struggle to survive after being stranded on the red planet. Wadi Rum makes it look convincing.

But several other places on Earth bare striking similarities to Mars. Scientists are even using some of these places to investigate how, some day, humans might survive on the real planet.

Keep scrolling to see some of the most Martian places on Earth.