Area 51: The Top Secret Military Base With a Dark and Sinister Past

Summary

Area 51, a highly secretive U.S. government facility in Nevada, has long been a source of conspiracy theories, with many believing it to be a repository for extraterrestrial technology. The base, originally developed for Cold War-era aircraft testing, expanded over the years to include a range of classified projects. Despite declassification of some activities, the government's tight-lipped stance has fueled speculation, leading to a viral internet joke about storming the base. The event, which turned into a music festival, highlighted the public's fascination and the government's commitment to keeping Area 51's secrets.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Area 51 is a highly secretive U.S. government facility located in Nevada, often associated with conspiracy theories about extraterrestrial life and advanced military technology.
• 🔍 The area's secrecy has fueled speculation that it houses classified information and possibly evidence of aliens, despite the government's reluctance to disclose details.
• 🛰️ Area 51's origins date back to the Cold War era when it was used for testing strategic reconnaissance aircraft like the Lockheed U-2, contributing to intelligence operations.
• 🔒 The site has expanded significantly over the years, featuring a complex network of facilities and stringent security measures to protect its sensitive activities.
• 👽 Popular culture, including movies like 'Independence Day' and TV shows like 'The X-Files', have perpetuated the myth of Area 51 as a hub for alien technology and government conspiracies.
• 🛰️ The base has been linked to the development of unmanned drones and other high-tech aircraft, showcasing its role in advancing military aviation.
• 🚀 The government's use of eminent domain to expand the security perimeter around Area 51 in recent years has further fueled public curiosity and conspiracy theories.
• 🚨 A 2019 viral Facebook event, humorously suggesting a raid on Area 51, led to a large gathering of people near the facility, though it resulted in a peaceful festival rather than an actual incursion.
• 🛡️ The U.S. government has consistently maintained that Area 51 is a vital military installation, with the Air Force and other agencies taking measures to protect its operations and secrets.
• 🤔 Despite numerous declassified documents and some disclosures about the base's activities, the full extent of what happens at Area 51 remains shrouded in mystery, keeping the public's imagination alive.

Q & A

What is Area 51 and why is it considered mysterious?

Area 51 is a highly classified United States government facility located in Nevada, known for its secrecy and rumored to house classified projects and possibly extraterrestrial technology. Its mystery stems from the lack of public information and numerous conspiracy theories.

Why is Area 51's location significant?

Area 51's location in Nevada is significant because of its proximity to the Groom Lake and the Nevada Test Site, which was used for nuclear bomb testing. The remote and open space of the region facilitates secret operations and testing.

What is the origin of the name 'Area 51'?

The exact origin of the name 'Area 51' is unknown, but it is believed to be part of the Atomic Energy Commission's numbering grid, with '51' being an unlikely number to be used, suggesting its highly classified nature.

How did Area 51 become associated with UFOs and extraterrestrials?

Area 51's association with UFOs and extraterrestrials began with its secretive nature and the numerous conspiracy theories that arose due to the high-altitude test flights conducted there, which were beyond the capabilities of civilian aircraft at the time.

What was the purpose of Area 51 during the Cold War?

During the Cold War, Area 51 served as a testing ground for top-secret military projects, including the development of the U-2 spy plane and other advanced aircraft, playing a crucial role in gathering intelligence.

What is the significance of the 2019 'Storm Area 51' event?

The 2019 'Storm Area 51' event was a viral internet joke that led to a large gathering of people near the facility. It highlighted the ongoing public fascination with Area 51 and its mysteries, although it ended as a peaceful gathering without any actual attempt to breach the facility.

How does the US government respond to trespassers at Area 51?

The US government has a strict no-tolerance policy for trespassers at Area 51, employing high levels of security, including motion sensors, armed guards, and restricted airspace to deter and respond to any unauthorized attempts to enter.

What is the role of the Janet fleet in relation to Area 51?

The Janet fleet is a series of unmarked aircraft used by the US Air Force to transport military and government personnel to and from classified facilities like Area 51. The flights are highly secretive, and the identities of the passengers and their purposes are not disclosed.

What are some of the conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51?

Conspiracy theories about Area 51 include the storage of alien technology, secret government projects like weather control or time travel, and the development of advanced military technology hidden from the public.

How has popular culture contributed to the mystique of Area 51?

Popular culture, including movies like 'Independence Day' and TV shows like 'The X-Files', has contributed to the mystique of Area 51 by featuring it as a location for secret alien-related activities, further fueling public interest and speculation.

What measures has the US government taken to maintain the secrecy of Area 51?

The US government has taken extensive measures to maintain the secrecy of Area 51, including classifying documents, invoking the State Secrets Privilege in legal cases, and limiting access to the area through strict security protocols and surveillance.

Outlines

00:00

🔒 The Mystery of Area 51

The paragraph delves into the mystique surrounding Area 51, a highly secretive U.S. government facility in Nevada. It discusses the public's fascination with the base, fueled by speculations of extraterrestrial life and advanced military technology. The paragraph also touches on the base's history, including its role during the Cold War and its connection to the development of high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft like the U-2. The area's expansion, security measures, and its transformation into a military complex are also highlighted, along with the cultural impact and the persistent rumors of alien activity.

05:03

🛸 Area 51: Conspiracy Theories and Cold War Secrets

This paragraph explores the evolution of Area 51 from a military testing site to a hub of conspiracy theories. It discusses the base's role in developing cutting-edge aircraft and technologies during the Cold War, including the U-2 spy plane and other classified projects. The paragraph also covers the base's involvement in testing captured Soviet aircraft, the impact of declassification on public perception, and the government's continued secrecy. The narrative includes details about the base's security, the legal battles over its operations, and the persistent public intrigue, suggesting that much of what happens at Area 51 remains unknown.

10:07

👽 Aliens, Secret Technologies, and the Pop Culture Phenomenon

The paragraph examines the various conspiracy theories associated with Area 51, particularly those related to extraterrestrial life and advanced military technology. It discusses the base's portrayal in popular culture, including movies like 'Independence Day' and TV shows like 'The X-Files,' and how this has contributed to the public's imagination. The paragraph also mentions specific claims by individuals like Bob Lazar, who alleged involvement with reverse-engineering alien technology, and the broader impact of such stories on the public's perception of Area 51. The paragraph concludes by reflecting on the enduring allure of Area 51 as a symbol of government secrecy and unexplained phenomena.

15:08

🎉 The Storming of Area 51: Hype, Humor, and Reality

This paragraph narrates the events surrounding the viral internet challenge to storm Area 51, which began as a joke but gained significant public interest. It details the government's response, the media coverage, and the eventual outcome of the event, which turned into a peaceful gathering and music festival rather than a security breach. The paragraph also touches on the local community's reaction, the economic impact on the area, and the broader implications of the incident for the public's perception of Area 51. It concludes with a reflection on the facility's enduring secrecy and the likelihood of its continued status as a well-guarded government installation.

Keywords

💡Area 51

Area 51 is a highly classified United States Air Force facility located in Nevada. It is renowned for its secrecy and has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, often linked to UFO sightings and alleged alien activity. In the script, Area 51 is central to discussions about government secrecy and the public's fascination with the unknown, exemplified by the planned 'raid' and the various conspiracy theories that have arisen around it.

💡Conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories refer to explanations of events or situations that are claimed to be the result of a secret plot by usually powerful individuals or groups. In the context of the video, conspiracy theories about Area 51 involve beliefs in hidden alien technology, secret government projects, and advanced aerospace development, which are fueled by the facility's secrecy and limited public information.

💡U-2 aircraft

The U-2 aircraft is a single-seat, high-altitude reconnaissance plane developed by Lockheed for the CIA in the 1950s. It played a significant role in the Cold War, providing strategic intelligence. The script mentions that Area 51 was used to test the U-2, emphasizing the facility's historical role in developing and testing advanced military technology.

💡Project OXCART

Project OXCART was a CIA project that took place in the 1960s, focused on developing advanced aerial reconnaissance technology. It is mentioned in the script as one of the top-secret engineering projects hosted at Area 51, highlighting the facility's role in pioneering aerospace innovations.

💡Cold War

The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. The script references the Cold War as the backdrop for Area 51's development and the testing of aircraft like the U-2, which were crucial for intelligence gathering during this era.

💡Lockheed Corporation

Lockheed Corporation, now Lockheed Martin, is an American aerospace, defense, security, and technology company that has developed various aircraft and weapons systems. The script notes Lockheed's partnership with the CIA to develop the U-2 at Area 51, illustrating the private sector's involvement in military and intelligence projects.

💡Alienstock

Alienstock was a music and entertainment event that emerged from the viral 'Storm Area 51' internet joke. It represents the cultural phenomenon and public interest in Area 51 and extraterrestrial life. The script describes Alienstock as a result of the internet challenge, showing how popular culture can intersect with conspiracy theories and government secrecy.

💡Roswell

Roswell refers to Roswell, New Mexico, the site of a famous alleged UFO incident in 1947. The script connects Area 51 to Roswell due to their proximity and the public's association of both locations with UFOs and extraterrestrial life, despite the government's explanation of a weather balloon.

💡Bob Lazar

Bob Lazar is a controversial figure who claims to have worked on reverse-engineering alien technology at Area 51, specifically on a project involving a captured alien spacecraft. His story, mentioned in the script, has become part of the lore surrounding Area 51 and has fueled speculation about the facility's activities.

💡State Secrets Privilege

The State Secrets Privilege is a legal doctrine that allows the government to withhold information if disclosing it would harm national security. The script refers to the government's use of this privilege in a lawsuit involving Area 51, demonstrating how the U.S. government protects information it deems sensitive.

Highlights

Area 51 is a highly secretive government facility in Nevada, often associated with conspiracy theories about extraterrestrials.

The facility's secrecy fuels public speculation, including beliefs that it houses proof of aliens.

Area 51's location near Roswell, New Mexico, contributes to alien-related theories.

The U.S. government does not disclose details about Area 51's security measures.

Area 51 is a complex network of government facilities located near Groom Lake.

The area has a history of mining and was used as an airfield in the 1940s.

In 1955, the CIA partnered with Lockheed Corporation to develop the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft at Area 51.

The site was used for various top-secret engineering projects, including Project OXCART.

Area 51 was a testing ground for multiple top Lockheed planes, including the A-12.

The government built amenities like a gymnasium and a movie theater for Area 51 residents.

The secrecy around Area 51 increased during the OXCART project, leading to a rise in conspiracy theories.

Some of the most classified technology at Area 51 was captured enemy aircraft from the Cold War era.

The government has expanded Area 51's security perimeter over time.

Declassified documents have revealed some Cold War secrets about Area 51.

A lawsuit in 1994 by workers exposed to toxic chemicals at Area 51 was dismissed due to State Secrets Privilege.

Area 51 has become a pop culture phenomenon, featuring in movies, TV shows, and video games.

Theories about Area 51 include everything from alien technology to secret government programs.

The 2019 'Storm Area 51' event on social media led to a gathering of people near the facility, but no actual breach occurred.

Area 51 is designed to be secure enough to withstand an armed invasion.

Transcripts

September 20th, 2019. A mob of people gather at  the site of the mysterious government facility  

Area 51. Today is the day - they’re going  to storm the gates, get inside, and find  

out what’s hiding in there. Is one of the greatest  mysteries in American history about to be solved?

I wouldn’t hold your breath. But  what’s the deal with Area 51 anyway?

If you ask most people, it’s the most secret  facility in the United States - so secret that  

no one even knows what’s inside. It’s frequently  believed to be where the government keeps  

classified things that aren’t supposed to exist,  including proof of extraterrestrials. Located in  

Nevada, it’s just close enough to Roswell, New  Mexico for people to think there’s probably a  

flying saucer or two hiding inside. And the people  who believe the government is keeping proof of  

aliens secret in Area 51 often think that even the  President doesn’t know about it - because you know  

one President would have tweeted out pictures  of the aliens five minutes after finding out.

But the actual truth is a lot more  complicated - and goes back decades.

Area 51 is one of the most secure  government facilities in the United  

States. How secure? Who’s asking? The government  isn’t in the business of revealing the details  

about top-secret security measures, so we  have no way of knowing who has access and  

who knows about this secretive site. What  is known is that it’s a complex network of  

government facilities located on the banks  of Groom Lake in rural Nevada - and there  

are a lot of bases in Nevada. Aside  from Las Vegas and a few other cities,  

much of Nevada is federal land - and the wide open  space makes it easy to conduct secret business.

But we do know quite a bit.

The only awareness most people have of Area  51’s inner workings is the little we’ve picked  

up from aerial surveillance. It started out as  a rectangular base of six miles by ten miles,  

and since then it’s massively expanded to  a network of facilities ranging 23 to 25  

miles across, connected to a larger road  network in the Nevada Test Site - which  

was used for nuclear bomb testing long  ago. Filled with security checkpoints,  

you’ll get stopped long before  you get anywhere near Area 51,  

but the surrounding area has become a bit  of a tourist destination on State Route 375,  

with locals filling the small towns nearby  with kitschy alien-themed attractions.

And it turns out the truth goes back  to flying - but maybe not saucers.

The source of the name Area 51 is unknown,  but it’s believed to be part of the Atomic  

Energy Commission numbering grid. It doesn’t  match the rest of the system - but the number  

is so high that it was unlikely to be  used. Maybe this was part of it being  

highly classified - being within the system  but outside of it? We know the early history  

of the site includes being used for lead and  silver mining in the 19th century, but those  

mines eventually died out in the 1950s, and the  area had been used for an airfield in the 1940s.

Which made it prime real estate for Uncle Sam.

Until 1955, the area was a loosely developed  unpaved airfield, but in 1955 the Cold War  

was raging and much of it was going to be fought  in the air. The CIA took over land on the Groom  

Lake facility in 1955, and partnered with the  Lockheed Corporation to develop the Lockheed  

U-2 - the strategic reconnaissance  aircraft that would provide decades  

of key intelligence for the government. The  aircraft was one of the government’s most  

closely-guarded secret, and they needed  a highly isolated location to test it.

And Area 51 would deliver.

Originally nicknamed “Paradise Ranch”, it soon  played host to government workers and would  

become a reliable testing ground for military  projects in the decades to come. Four years later,  

it became the host for Project OXCART,  which specialized in antiradar technology,  

aerodynamic structural tests, and other  top-secret engineering projects. Much of  

this has since been declassified, and we know  that multiple top Lockheed planes were designed  

here including the A-12 - A powerful Mach-3  plane that was key to the 1960s spy race.

And the government was gearing up for a long stay.

By 1961, the formerly deserted area had been  transformed into a major military complex  

with multiple hangars and enough facilities  to support a small population of workers.  

It looked more like a modern military base,  but many of the residents were civilians and  

their families - so the government soon  built other amenities like a gymnasium,  

a movie theater, and even a baseball diamond!  No word on if there were any aliens present,  

and if so, if they got to play a  rousing baseball game of humans  

vs. space invaders. A diagram from 1966 was  declassified recently, and it shows us the  

details of how Area 51 was structured - or  maybe that’s what they want you to think!

So how did a simple military facility in  the desert become a pop culture phenomenon?

Part of it is the increased secrecy. As the  OXCART project began, the government started  

locking down the area. Entry was strictly  regulated, and the nearby mine was closed.  

The government even created a restricted airspace  region over Groom Lake, and top-secret aircraft  

were brought in for testing. Those who were in  the area would occasionally see a massive stealth  

aircraft take off from the base - and there was  an increased sense of mystery around the facility.

And the mystery technology based  there would only get stranger.

Today, many of the United States’ wars aren’t  fought with soldiers - but with drones. These  

unmanned aircraft can track and identify a  target and deliver a lethal attack without  

putting any soldiers in danger. Some are  controlled by soldiers back at base in a  

process similar to video games, while others are  programmed and sent into the field autonomously.  

And the process to make these high-tech  aircrafts possible began…you guessed it,  

at Area 51. One of the most interesting  projects in the 1960s was an unmanned  

aircraft that would be mounted to the  back of a plane and launched from there.

But some of the most classified technology  at the base wasn’t American at all.

There was no bigger prize for a government  during the Cold War than to capture an enemy  

aircraft. When Soviet-built aircraft wound up in  US hands, they were often brought back to Groom  

Lake for testing and breakdown, so the US could  gain knowledge on how to counter these weapons  

if a war ever began. Most famously, in 1966 an  Iraqi fighter pilot was ordered to bomb civilian  

Kurd villages - and once he got those orders,  he used a training flight to fly to Israel  

seeking refuge. The Israelis gave him sanctuary,  smuggled his family out of Iraq, and turned his  

Soviet-built MiG fighter over to the government  - after which it was flown at Groom Lake.

And the success of the site would continue.

Lockheed continued developing aircrafts at  the site for the duration of the Cold War,  

making it the top testing facility for the  government. However, it wasn’t suitable for  

operations due to its size, so some testing would  move over to nearby Tonopah where a larger airbase  

was developed. While the military moved many of  its operations over there, more classified tests  

continued at Area 51. The Cold War eventually  ended, and things at Area 51 became quieter.  

But they certainly didn’t stop - the government  continued expanding the area around the base,  

using eminent domain to take privately owned  land in 2015 to boost its security perimeter.

And the information coming out of  this mystery site slowed to a trickle.

So where are we now?

The US Government has always been cagey about Area  51, and no one is sure exactly what is going on  

there right now. We do know that the lake area is  off-limits - not just to road and foot traffic,  

but to civilian and standard military aircraft.  With many security checkpoints along the way,  

including buried motion sensors and armed  guards, anyone trying to get in will be  

stopped before they see anything classified. The  only ones who do get in regularly? The Air Force,  

using their specialized Janet fleet  of aircraft. These private planes are  

used to transfer military and government  personnel to classified facilities - and  

we don’t know who’s on those planes  or what their business is at Area 51.

And any attempts to get more information  about Area 51 have been fruitless.

Officially, the government map only shows  the mine area as being part of Area 51,  

but declassified documents have shed light on  the history of the area and revealed many of  

its Cold War era secrets. But the site is still as  secretive as it ever was - and there don’t seem to  

be nearly as many test flights as there used to  be. Satellites have provided more information on  

the site, including showing runway markings,  bases, and aircraft stationed there. Most  

details have come from Freedom of Information  requests leading to declassified documents.

But the government is still keeping its secrets.

In 1994, the government was hit by a lawsuit from  a group of people who worked at Area 51. They were  

five civilian contractors - and two widows of  men who worked there and had since passed on.  

They claimed that they had been exposed to massive  quantities of unknown chemicals that were burning  

at the site, and tests confirmed exposure to toxic  chemicals including dioxin. The claimants reported  

skin, liver, and lung injuries, and sued both  the Air Force and the Environmental Protection  

Agency. They had their day in court - and the  government immediately petitioned to have the  

entire thing shuffled away under the State  Secrets Privilege. When the judge declined,  

President Clinton quickly issued an order  exempting the facility from disclosure in  

the lawsuit, and the lawsuit had to  be dismissed due to lack of evidence.

What is the government keeping secret  at Area 51 - and has it killed people?

Whatever the truth is, every President since  has extended this protective declaration  

annually - including arch-political rivals  like Barack Obama and Donald Trump. They  

all seem to agree that Area 51 should be  kept under lock and key - which naturally,  

has only increased speculation from  civilians. It’s kept highly secure,  

and trespassers find out the hard way that the  government means business. In January 2019,  

a man crashed through one of the security  checkpoints and was pursued by guards. He  

led the guards on a wild chase for over eight  miles before exiting his vehicle carrying an  

unidentified object - and was promptly shot dead.  Suddenly, Area 51 was in the headlines again.

And decades of conspiracies  were about to come to a head.

So how did a standard military facility become  such a haven for conspiracies? The place is  

fairly secretive - but most classified  government facilities are. The security  

is standard for military sites, and we might  actually know more about the activities going  

on there than we do at other bases abroad. After  all, most of the aviation testing has since been  

declassified. But that hasn’t pushed away the  conspiracies - it actually seemed to make them  

more intense. And it’s not just one conspiracy  - somehow Area 51 seems to have become the one  

place where just about every mysterious  rumor about the government takes place.

So what makes Area 51 special?

For one thing, it’s big. Really  big. This isn’t just a building  

or a network of buildings - it’s a massive  swath of the desert bigger than some towns,  

that’s been entirely locked down by the government  for decades. We only know a little of the layout,  

but it’s possible that the government has built  underground facilities at the Groom Lake site  

that are much bigger than what appears on  the surface. If they have, it’s likely a  

storage facility for military technology - but the  theories people have come up with are much wilder.

So is there anything to them?

Many of the theories are really out there, with  people bringing up secret programs like weather  

control, time travel, or futuristic energy  weapons. Most of these are in the realm of  

science fiction and there’s no proof the  government has anything to do with them.  

Other theories are even more outlandish,  like the idea that this is a secret base  

for a shadowy secret government that is  actually pulling the President’s strings.  

Less out-there theories claim that US military  technology is much further advanced than we know,  

and the government is continuing to  develop its war tech out of the public eye.

But there’s one theory that has more  legs - or tentacles - than any other.

How did Area 51 become the supposed hub of  extraterrestrial technology? While there  

haven’t been any specific reports of UFO  sightings or crashes near Area 51 itself,  

the location is in the desert relatively  close to Roswell and other sightings. The  

southwest has an unusual number of  UFO sightings, as the wide-open sky  

means things like small planes or weather  balloons would be far more noticeable in  

the night sky. And that’s exactly what the  government claims Roswell was - a weather  

balloon. But if you ask conspiracy theorists,  that’s exactly what they want you to think!

And there have been a few claims  that have a bit more to them.

During the 1950s, civilian aircrafts could only  fly half as high as military aircrafts could,  

and the number of test flights in the area that  broke what people thought was the limits of flight  

led to rumors spreading that something odd was  going out there. Imagine if you looked up, and  

suddenly a gleaming metal object soared through  the sky, higher than any passenger plane you’ve  

ever seen. You’d think it was a UFO too, although  the government justifies this odd phenomenon by  

the silver wings of the plane reflecting the sun  - giving the planes an odd shimmering effect. The  

government believes this explains the sightings -  although the Air Force did have their own project  

investigating UFO sightings, Project Blue  Book. They came up empty - or so they say.

And one man says it was all a lie.

Bob Lazar was not a reliable man,  

usually regarded as a conspiracy  theorist prone to fantastical claims.

And one of those claims was that he worked at  Sector Four in Area 51. The only problem was,  

Sector Four does not officially exist. To which  Lazar said…you guessed it, “That’s what they  

want you to think!”. The author claimed that  he worked in a massive underground laboratory  

where he tried to reverse-engineer a captured  alien spacecraft. And that claim was followed  

up on in a documentary by Bruce Burgess in 1996,  where the paranormal investigator interviewed an  

anonymous engineer who repeated the same claims.  In 2004, a man named Dan Bursich claimed to have  

worked on cloning alien viruses at Area 51,  along with befriending an alien he called  

“J-Rod”. Although his claims are shaky as he was a  parole officer with no history of government work.

These aren’t the most credible sources - so how  has Area 51 fascinated the public for so long?

Simple - Hollywood has put a lot of work  into keeping the legend alive. The 1950s  

were largely the birth of the American  sci-fi genre, and the fascination with  

aliens has continued ever since. The idea  that there’s a top-secret base filled with  

aliens - either friendly or terrifying -  has created a whole host of entertainment  

spin-offs that base their plot on the concept.  No word on a wacky office comedy where a bunch  

of hapless co-workers have to keep the aliens  from escaping, but you know it’s coming!

But it’s appeared in one of the  most popular movies of all time.

In 1996, everyone was going to see one movie  - Independence Day, a thriller in which a  

fleet of giant spaceships came to Earth and  began attacking major cities. The aliens,  

a hive-mind-like group of monsters, used planets  for their resources and left them in ruins,  

and the fate of humanity was in the hands  of…Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Those aliens  

had better not say anything about Will’s wife. The  President, played by Bill Pullman, was shocked to  

discover that Area 51 had been secretly keeping  an alien scout captive for decades and he never  

even knew about the top-secret facility.  It was a ridiculous movie - but it was  

easily the biggest spotlight the world had ever  gotten of the legendary secret government base.

And when there’s a success, there’s rip-offs.

Soon, pretty much everyone wanted to have Area 51  showing up in their media. The facility showed up  

in the popular FOX conspiracy thriller The  X-Files in 1998, and was given a more comic  

twist in the action-adventure Men In Black  starring Tommy Lee Jones and…Will Smith in  

1997. That Will Smith will not leave aliens  alone. And this was also the era that video  

games were becoming more popular, so it was  no surprise that a shooting game set at the  

facility soon showed up. Simply titled “Area 51”,  it surprisingly didn’t have any aliens in it,  

but instead pitted the player against  genetically engineered zombie soldiers.

And the facility would soon  get even more starring roles.

In 2015, Area 51 would be the title of  a found-footage horror film. Primarily  

released on on-demand video platforms, it  focused on a trio of particularly stupid  

friends who decide to break into the military  base using the tools provided by a friend whose  

father works there. They find strange technology  - and a carnivorous alien trying to kill them.  

As the movie goes on, two members of the  group get captured by a mysterious force,  

and the surviving two get abducted by the  government, never to be seen again. It was  

considered a mediocre attempt to cash in on  the found-footage craze that didn’t really  

add anything more to the mythology of Area  51, but it provided a few good jump scares.

But maybe the biggest boost for the  facility’s attention came in 2011.

Written by journalist Annie Jacobson, “Area 51:  An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret  

Military Base” was billed as the most in-depth  look at Area 51 ever created, claiming to  

featured countless interviews with scientists and  engineers that worked at the base. Surprisingly,  

it abandoned the alien connection entirely -  and came up with a story that was even crazier!  

It claimed that the deranged Nazi scientist  Josef Mengele had been recruited by the Soviet,  

and that they had genetically engineered  mutant child-sized pilots to fly UFOs over the  

United States for spying - and that they had been  captured and kept at Area 51. Some people praised  

the book as a compelling read, but others pointed  out that it was well…kind of nuts. But hey,  

points for originality. Mutant Soviet-Nazi  dwarfs is a theory we’ve never heard before.

And with this level of conspiracy  theories floating around,  

it’s no surprise that things  were about to get crazier.

After the shooting incident in 2019, Area 51 was  back in the news, and many people argued that the  

government must be hiding something really big  there if it was willing to shoot any trespassers.  

And into that void stepped - an internet troll.  His name was Matty Roberts, and he was about to  

go down in history when he posted on Facebook  “If we naruto run, we can move faster than  

their bullets. Let’s see them aliens”. This soon  became a rallying cry of “They can’t stop us all”,  

and his ironic post calling for everyone to  meet and storm Area 51 suddenly went viral.  

a few weeks later, over three million people  were interested in meeting up at Groom Lake.

And Roberts started getting worried  - exactly what had he kicked off?

He quickly issued a post saying that he  was only joking and didn’t want a visit  

from the FBI, but it was too little,  too late. Soon, it was a sensation,  

with music star Lil Nas X even releasing a  remix of one of his songs celebrating the raid.

Soon, even the government had to step  in - with an Air Force spokeswoman  

saying that the government was aware of  the plans and that anyone who tried to  

break into an open training range for the  airforce would be turned back, arrested,  

or stopped by any means necessary. The  FAA even stepped in and increased flight  

restrictions over the area. When the military’s  public relations office posted a meme implying  

that any people who tried to break in  would be vaporized by a stealth bomber,  

they were forced to delete the meme and apologize.  Apparently vaporizing your constituents is bad PR.

But not everyone was worried.

While the government was keeping a close  eye on the situation, local small towns  

prepared for an influx of business - and warned  that their small hotels didn’t have the capacity  

to handle all the visitors. They posted tips  for camping in the harsh desert environment,  

and waited for the best sales period  of their lives. And on September 19th,  

2019, people started showing up. While most of  the three millions likely had jobs to go to,  

it’s estimated that around fifteen hundred  people did show up at the fences around Area 51.

And then…they had a party!

The event turned out to be less of a siege of  the facility and more a selfie opportunity,  

with a few people taking photos at  the fence and then dispersing. The  

only arrests were people nabbed for  alcohol offenses, public urination,  

and indecent exposure. The aliens don’t want to  see that, Kevin. And after the initial event,  

it turned into a music festival called Alienstock,  where a bunch of people partied the night away in  

alien gear. The only person not there?  Roberts, whose creation had gotten far  

out of his control and he really didn’t want  to be associated with it anymore. The only  

people disappointed were the ones who thought  they were actually going to storm Area 51.

But what if a large group did? Could  the government actually stop them?

In a word…yes! Area 51 is designed to be  secure enough to withstand an armed invasion,  

and the exterior security is top-of-the-line  for the military. As for what’s beyond it,  

we don’t know - because no one’s who wasn’t  supposed to has ever made it inside! So if a  

group of a few thousand people tried to storm  Area 51, most of them would be stopped by  

security. Those few that got further would  likely find a secure base with no easy way  

in - and much more serious criminal charges  for breaking into a government facility.

So it looks like whatever’s in there, Area  51 will be keeping its secrets. Sorry,  

Alf - we’ll be there to break you out soon.

Want to learn more about what COULD be in Area 51?  

Watch “This Will Happen When The  Govt Confirms Aliens Exist” or “Is  

There Evidence That Aliens Did Come To  Roswell” for all the mysterious details.