Area 51: 8 Chilling Facts
Area 51 has suddenly become a hot topic online and with social media users, due to the recent [...]
What is Area 51?
Area 51 is a military base located in the Nevada desert. It sits just around 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas. While its name is saddled with an ominous stigma, it technically just refers to designations on Nevada Test Site maps from the '50s. Officially, it has been used for testing new military technology, weapons, and equipment. Unofficially, it has been rumored to be a site where aliens and alien technology were studied.
prevnextHistory of Alien Conspiracy
The alleged alien activity at Area 51 is rumored to have began back in the late 1940s when a Roswell, New Mexico newspaper headline claimed that a "flying saucer" has been captured by the military. The government claimed that it was simply a weather balloon that had crashed, but conspiracy theorist said they beloved it was a UFO with a gray alien inside. According to a report by the Air Force, it was a weather balloon that crashed, but not just any weather balloon, as this one was designed to be able to detect nuclear testing blasts from far away.
prevnextUFO Whistle Blowing
While rumors and conspiracy swirled for decades, it was not until the late '80s that the extraterrestrial association really became prevalent. In 1989, scientist Bob Lazar went public with claims that he had worked at Area 51, specifically he stated that he worked directly with alien technology. In 2018, a documentary titled Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers was released and explores Lazar's claims, as well as the likelihood that he is telling the truth.
prevnextArmed Guards
While those interested and fascinated with Area 51 can get close to the base, there are reports of armed guards threatening anyone who crosses a certain point. Warning signs are posted around the perimeter along access roads, but anyone trying to overstep their bounds will be met by "camo dudes," as they've come to be known, who will stop them and have even been filmed threatening arrest.
prevnextMoon Landing
While aliens and UFOs are the most common association for Area 51, they are not the only conspiracies that the site is rumored to be part of. Some conspiracy theorists believe that the moon landing was faked, claim that it was done so at Area 51. The case of this appears to have been in the 1974 book We Never Went to the Moon: America's Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle, which was written by conspiracy theorist Bill Kaysing.
prevnextU-2 Spy Plane
While there are no official records of Area 51 being used to test and study alien technology, there are official records for the site being used to test American military aircraft. One of those was the the U-2 spy plane, which was an aircraft used for reconnaissance that could reach incredibly high altitudes. The plane was first tested back in August 1955.
prevnextArea 51 Today
These days, Area 51 is still used as a testing site for U.S. military aircraft, such as the Lockheed A-12 and the D-12 Tagboard. A Google Earth search revealed that the site still has runways and buildings that appear to be used regularly. There also has reportedly been some construction on new areas over the years.
prevnextNew Location?
About 12 miles northeast of Area 51, there is a separate landing-strip site identified as Area 6. Some think it's possible that all of the technology previously being tested at Area 51 has been moved here, as this site is newer and even more secretive than Area 51. There are no official comments on what is being tested at Area 6, but it's said that both the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security both use the site. Live Science reports that security experts have stated they believe the site may be used to test reconnaissance drones and their sensors.
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