In many ways, you can get to Mars without stuffing yourself into a spacecraft. Earth’s big backyard is full of deserts, glaciers, acid pools, and volcanoes that offer tantalizing clues as to the red planet’s past and present. Researchers are trudging to far-flung and desolate spots on Earth, attempting to discern more about Mars. However, drawing out the truth about that distant world from Earth analogs can be tricky. For one, Mars comes replete with less gravity than Earth. Then there’s the lower atmospheric pressure. It’s a cold, dry place to boot. In many places, layers of dust disguise the true face of Mars.