Lifestyle7 min(s) read
Published 15:31 12 Aug 2019 GMT
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.
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