Area 51 is one of the most mysterious places on the planet. Shrouded in secrecy, the military base's existence was not officially confirmed by the US government until 2013.

[post_page_title]Storm Area 51 - They Can't Stop All Of Us[/post_page_title]

The base has recently hit the headlines thanks to a Facebook "raid", which aims to discover the truth about the base. But before you actually join the rade, here are some facts you don't need to put yourself in danger to discover!

[post_page_title]How Area 51 Got Its Name[/post_page_title]

A little known fact about Area 51 is that it's named after a grid reference on an atomic energy commission map. Don't worry, we're as surprised as you that it's not the site of a crash-landed UFO or something like that. 

[post_page_title]Its Had Other Names[/post_page_title]

The base has also been known as Paradise Ranch, Watertown, and Dreamland. Yup, we're thinking it too - they all sound like the names of amusement parks. But maybe there's some truth in this... for aliens. 

[post_page_title]The Base Was Established In 1955[/post_page_title]

Back then, all that was known about Area 51 was that it was the location of a secret project dubbed "Aquatone" - the code name for the aircraft pictured above which was used to spy on the Soviet Union. 

[post_page_title]There's No Fences[/post_page_title]

Unbelievably, despite being one of the most-talked-about mysterious places in the world, there are absolutely no fences surrounding Area 51, making the proposed raid not such a far fetched idea.

[post_page_title]But Seriously Don't Cross The Borderline[/post_page_title]

According to the National Geographic, a former Area 51 security guard, said that he'd been told he had the "call clear" to "waste" (yup, that word exactly) anyone who dared "penetrate" the borderline.

[post_page_title]The Restricted Area 51 Terminal[/post_page_title]

Area 51 employees access the base by plane through a restricted airport terminal at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. It's called the "Gold Coast". One thing's for sure - we don't think there will be a Starbuck's inside.

[post_page_title]The Area 51 Airline[/post_page_title]

Area 51's planes are all unmarked and belong to an airline called Janet. Seriously. So if you're ever in McCarran International Airport and want to imagine what it's like to work there, you know what planes to look out for.

[post_page_title]The Original Area 51 Location[/post_page_title]

Another little known fact about Area 51 is that its current location in the middle of the Nevada Desert was not, in fact, its original one. It was actually originally located on the edge of an abandoned airstrip at the edge of Groom Lake. This was a place the government had already used, namely, for nuclear testing.

[post_page_title]Edwards Air Force Base[/post_page_title]

Because employees traveling to Area 51 do so through an airport in Nevada, it's only natural to assume that the base is administered by an airforce there too, when, in reality, it's actually administered by an airforce in California - namely, Edwards Airforce Base in Southern California.

[post_page_title]Bob Lazar's Interview[/post_page_title]

Although Area 51 was established in the 50s, it didn't really capture anyone's imagination until the 80s when a former employee named Bob Lazar gave an interview to KLAS-TV. He told the news station that he worked at a "secret facility", but most interestingly of all, a facility that was kept a secret because alien technology was being "reverse engineered" there.

[post_page_title]He Drew The Spacecrafts[/post_page_title]

Obviously, the moment Lazer mentioned alien technology, people were sent into a frenzy, and the former Area 51 employee revealed a sketch he'd made of the spaceship he was working on. The drawing was dated March 29, 1989.

[post_page_title]But There Was One Crucial Difference[/post_page_title]

This is the unexpected way that he said the spacecraft operated. Lazer said that the spacecraft he worked on didn't hover as you might expect. Instead, they flew with their "bellies" or "bottom" forward. Interesting...

[post_page_title]There's Evidence![/post_page_title]

Now, while Lazer's revelations could be seen as the ramblings of a mad man or someone on the hunt for fame, they do actually match some pretty convincing evidence of a UFO. Featured below is the "Gimbal UFO" a video the Pentagon released in 2017. As you can see, the UFO is flying bottom first, just like Lazer said!

[post_page_title]The CIA's Acknowledgement[/post_page_title]

According to Reuters in 2013: "Released by George Washington University's National Security Archive, the 400-page CIA history contains the first deliberate official references to Area 51 as a site developed by the intelligence agency in the 1950s to test fly the high-altitude U-2 reconnaissance plane."

[post_page_title]What The CIA Document Didn't Mention[/post_page_title]

By the time Area 51's existence was confirmed, it had been associated with extraterrestrial research for years. However, this was not mentioned in the document released by the CIA. All we know for sure is that it's a military training base. But it's no secret that the US government has spent millions of dollars on extraterrestrial research, it's just a question of where.

[post_page_title]Area 51 Has Grown Over The Years[/post_page_title]

Satellite images have given us a good idea of what Area 51 looks like, and they've demonstrated that the base has grown considerably in size and infrastructure over the years.

[post_page_title]The Military Is Watching You[/post_page_title]

There might not be a fence surrounding Area 51, but before you decided to go on a personal investigation mission for YouTube, take note of the fact that it is heavily monitored by the military. Sure, you might think you'll be able to dodge the armed guards and security cameras, but you won't. That's why people are planning to storm the base on mass.

[post_page_title]Area 51 On Google Maps[/post_page_title]

Area 51 is so synonymous with aliens that even Google has gotten in on the action, and if you zoom in on the base on Google maps, you'll get a fun surprise when your icon does this... Yup, it transforms into a little spaceship. Pretty neat, eh?

[post_page_title]Is It The Moon?[/post_page_title]

The 1969 Moon landings were one of the most iconic events in human history. However, it's been widely speculated that the moon landings were fake, and some have suggested that the staged event was constructed at the mysterious Area 51.

[post_page_title]Roswell[/post_page_title]

The US's fascination with UFOs reached fever-pitch in 1947 when an alleged spaceship crashed over Roswell, New Mexico. Once Area 51 became associated with aliens, many believe it was sent there. The government, however, dismissed the claims that it was a spaceship which crashed in Roswell, saying that it was nothing more than a weather balloon.

[post_page_title]What It's Really For[/post_page_title]

Okay, so we know that Area 51 is an air force training facility, but what exactly does this mean? Well, fake combat scenarios are created there and military crews are trained accordingly. The military has also given examples, revealing that the U-2 spy plane, an ultra-high altitude aircraft used for reconnaissance, had its first flight at Area 51.

[post_page_title]It's Technically The Government's Fault[/post_page_title]

For years, people have claimed to see UFOs surrounding Area 51, which only contributed to its notoriety. However, the government new what many of these UFO were... But they didn't want to reveal the full capabilities of the US military, which is why they simply let people speculate when, in reality, what they were often seeing had a logical explanation.

[post_page_title]Other Test Planes[/post_page_title]

Alien activity aside, Area 51 has been home to the testing of a number of planes. NBC News reported that these included the Lockheed A-12 Oxcart and the D-21 Tagboard. Pictured above is a Google Earth view of Area 51 which, to the dismay of alien hunters, shows runways and a cluster of buildings that suggest it really is nothing more than an airforce training site.

[post_page_title]Captured Aircraft[/post_page_title]

While there is no doubt that secret research into aliens has been conducted by the US government, no official evidence of it exists - yet. However, a declassified file from 2013 revealed that they tested "secretly obtained" fighters there during the Cold War in the 70s and 80s.

[post_page_title]No One Knows What's Happening There Right Now[/post_page_title]

We might have snippets of information about what Area 51 was used for in the past, but all we know about its current purpose is that it still has one - we just have absolutely no idea what it is.

[post_page_title]The CIA Has Investigated Alien Aircraft[/post_page_title]

We know that the US government has spent a lot of money on extraterrestrial research, and this involved researching alien craft after the number of sightings increased in the 50s. The CIA announced in 1952 that "there is a remote possibility that they may be interplanetary aircraft". So is it a mere coincidence that Area 51 was established three years later?

[post_page_title]Paradise Ranch[/post_page_title]

We know that Area 51 was once known as Paradise Ranch and it turns out that it was done for a good reason. It was to encourage members of the military to come and live there and work in the base. According to Time magazine, this rebranding was the brainchild of engineer Kelly Johnson.

[post_page_title]It Can Trap Daredevil Tourists[/post_page_title]

While trespassing on Area 51 is a feral crime that could see you subject to up to six months imprisonment, or even death, depending on how far into the site you go, it also serves another purpose. The base can trap daredevil tourists! As it stands, going up to the perimeter of the site is actually a pretty popular tourist attraction.

[post_page_title]Hilary's Promise[/post_page_title]

While running for the presidency in 2016, Hilary Clinton promised as part of ... Clinton told Jimmy Kimmel.

[post_page_title]The Extraterrestrial Highway[/post_page_title]

We might never know if there are ...

For over half a century, Area 51 has been regarded with suspicion by almost all those who have heard of it. And that's no surprise, seeing as the US government still haven't told us very much about the site - nor have they always been incredibly forthright in dispelling the various alien rumours that surround it.

However, despite its covert status, there are some things we know about Area 51. Some of them we've known for a while, and others have only recently come out. Either way, if you're itching for more details on the secretive site, then look no further...

1. It used to be known as 'DREAMLAND'

Somehow, this name makes the place sound even more suspect than "Area 51". It was allegedly named this after an Edgar Allan Poe poem by the same title, in which there is a line: "the traveler, traveling through it, may not-dare not openly view it; Never its mysteries are exposed, to the weak human eye unclosed." It also earned the nickname "Paradise Ranch" at another point in its lifespan - though this was to make it more appealing to people who were sent to work there.

2. It's since been renamed to Nevada National Security Site

Officially, that is. Everyone else still knows it as Area 51 - and it got that name from designations on Nevada Test Site maps from the 1950s. "But what were they testing?" you ask. Well, that's easy: nuclear weapons, purportedly. Hundreds of them - many of which were above ground.

3. The CIA didn't acknowledge it existed until 2013

Area 51 was probably one of the worst-kept military secrets in history in this regard, because everyone knew about it. The CIA was forced to admit it was real just five years ago, though, as a declassified document about the U-2 spy plane programme made many references to the site.

4. Over half of American UFO reports from the '50s to the '60s were accounted for

Sorry guys, but most unidentified flying objects turned out to be perfectly normal occurrences - and many of them were actually the aforementioned U-2 planes. However, many still remain unexplained. This could be because the people that saw them were hallucinating or making it up, or because what actually happened was just a different secret military operation, or because there really were aliens, and we still aren't being told the whole truth.

5. Area 51 didn't really get its extraterrestrial reputation until the late 1980s

In the '80s, a man called Robert Lazar claimed in a TV interview that he worked near Area 51 reverse-engineering crashed UFOs. He was later found to have fabricated his story (well, duh), but the site's reputation has always stuck nonetheless.

6. It used to be really, really boring

The first people who lived at and worked on the site only had access to a single cement tennis court and a tiny bowling alley for entertainment. There was no TV, and radio signals only reached the location at night on account of the mountains surrounding the area.

7. The Roswell Incident was a U.S. government 'cover-up'

But not in the way you think. Yes, the government lied about the origins of the "crashed ship", claiming that it was a weather balloon, but it definitely wasn't alien in origin. In fact, it was a top-secret balloon called "Project Mogul" that was designed to detect nuclear bomb testing in the Soviet Union.

8. Two civilian contractors once died there

Two men passed away after inhaling toxic chemicals at the site, and their wives unsuccessfully sued the government for causing their premature deaths. Apparently, US environmental exposure laws don't apply to Area 51 as they do to everywhere else.

9. Space equipment for lunar landings was tested there

But only in the sense that they did test runs on the site. Various pieces of space equipment, including rovers and life support technology, were tested in and around the restricted location. The moon landing seen in 1969 was the real deal, however.

10. Today, it's apparently used for training purposes

From what the CIA has admitted to, we know that aircraft crews are trained in combat scenarios at the base, and new planes/technologies are sometimes trialled there too. In the past, at least, the area has been used to develop new aerial vehicles such as helicopters and unmanned drones, as well as some secret gadgets that probably never saw the light of day.

11. You really don't wanna trespass

If you're caught sneaking past the guards or ducking under any barriers, you could get arrested. The punishment is usually a $1,000 fine, a six-month prison sentence, or even both.

As far as we know, then, Area 51 has nothing to do with little green men or top secret UFOs. It does, however, have some terrestrial secrets it doesn't want us to find out about. Will we ever find out what they are? Well, maybe one day - but, until then - it doesn't seem worth the trespassing risk to find out.

For better or worse, the name "Area 51" has always captured the interest of conspiracy theorists. Since the 1950s, the mysterious army base has been associated with government back projects and clandestine activity. It's heavily guarded and whatever goes on behind its fortifications is considered top-secret. The question is, what are they hiding in there?

Sceptics reckon that the Nevada base is a repository for experimental weaponry, and reconnaissance technology, which the military-industrial complex simply doesn't want falling into the hands of the enemies of the United States.

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However, a significant amount of people believe that the base is where the bodies of extraterrestrials and the wreckage of UFOs are kept under lock-and-key. Is Area 51 hiding aliens from the public? We don't know, but a contingent of internet-users are certainly determined to find out. What's more, they're using the power of memes and social media to recruit others to their cause.

The trouble started when a Facebook event was launched to encourage people to travel to the desert to raid Area 51, in an attempt to unearth evidence of alien activity.

The event, which is entitled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," is a tongue-in-cheek invitation for Americans to overwhelm the guards and investigate the facility through sheer force of numbers.

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The event page simply states: "We will all meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center tourist attraction and coordinate our entry. If we naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Let's see them aliens [sic]."

The "invasion" is currently scheduled for Friday, 20 September 2019.

Now, it has been officially announced that the raid's organisers are planning on live streaming the whole event, in a desperate bid to capture concrete evidence of the existence of alien life.

The group "Area 51", who are supporters of the raid, wrote a post on Facebook in which they stated: "Okay. Now we’re curious too about what’s going to happen on 9/20 at the storming of #AREA51. We’re going to live stream the “event” here at #AREA15 to watch what goes down. And, of course, costumes and tin foil hats are required. [sic]"

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However, the military is attempting to discourage people from participating in the stunt.

US Air Force spokesperson Laura McAndrews told The Independent: "[Area 51] is an open training range for the US Air Force, and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces. The US Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets."

When it comes to mysteries, Area 51 is commonly regarded as the conspiracy theorist's Mecca. For decades, this air force base in the wastelands of Nevada has been a hotbed for rumors of extraterrestrials, secret mind control programs, and clandestine surveillance technology.

And through TV shows like The X-Files, the black site has captured the public's imagination and is now synonymous with UFO's, aliens, the Men in Black, and science gone wrong.

Do aliens exist? How do you explain these UFOs spotted by US Navy pilots?

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Bearing all the above in mind, it's perhaps no surprise that many people around the world are desperate to infiltrate the highly-guarded site and find out exactly what the US military has there under lock and key. Are there dead Martians lying in cold storage? Are they experimenting on humans? Or is the real answer something far more mundane.

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Now, a group of over 613,000 people (as of this writing) have signed up to a Facebook event pledging to raid Area 51; storming the barricades in an attempt to unearth evidence of alien activity.

The event, which is entitled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," is a tongue-in-cheek invitation to get people to run towards Area 51 en masse, and overwhelm the guards through sheer force of numbers.

The event page states simply: "We will all meet up at the Area 51 Alien Center tourist attraction and coordinate our entry. If we naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets. Let's see them aliens. [sic]" The intended date of the 'invasion' is currently scheduled for Friday, 20 September, 2019, between the hours of 3:00-6:00 PDT.

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The official story explaining the secrecy surrounding Area 51 is that the Air Force wanted to keep the development of their then-experimental Lockheed U-2 strategic reconnaissance aircraft under wraps.

Of course, I know the real reason why Area 51 exists. Shall I tell you? Okay, here goes. Area 51 exists to distract you from the really secret stuff going on in Area 52 ...