In the middle of a barren desert somewhere in Nevada, there’s one unmarked road that most people have heard of. That road leads to the front gate of an infamous facility known as Area 51. The entrance is under constant surveillance, protected also with a boom gate and trespassing signs. No visitor can go unnoticed. They are constantly watching.
Indeed, cameras around Area 51 catch every angle of the desert. Locals say that the base keeps a close watch. The staff always knows when someone is approaching the fence. Some even say that there are embedded sensors in the road. What are they trying to hide?
Well, there are many conspiracy theories about what exactly goes on inside Area 51. Of course, most people believe that extraterrestrial visitors are tucked away inside the base. One of the most persistent rumors says that the material recovered at Roswell, New Mexico, is on the grounds of the facility.
What we know for certain is that Area 51 is very much real and active. Perhaps it is not hiding alien spacecraft, but something is definitely going on behind closed doors. A select few are aware of what secrets the closely-monitored Nevada road hides.
Let’s see what we do know about Area 51.
What Is Area 51?
Area 51 refers to a highly classified United States Air Force (USAF) facility located within the Nevada Test and Training Range. Although details of the base’s operations have not been made public, the USAF states that it is an open training range. Some experts say that the facility supports the development of weapons and aircraft.
Even though the origin of the name “Area 51” is still unclear, it is believed that the base got its name from its map designation. In the past, people referred to the facility as “Paradise Ranch” and “Dreamland.” This was probably an attempt to make it more attractive to the prospective staff.
As you know, Area 51 is restricted to the public with armed guards patrolling around. The government also controls the airspace above it and you would need a special permission from air traffic control to fly over the base.
This is one of the reasons why the facility has been a topic of fascination for many conspiracy theorists. They believe that the US government hides alien bodies and unidentified flying objects (UFOs) at this location.
Why Did the Government Build Area 51?
The government created Area 51 during the Cold War when the tensions were high between the United States and the Soviet Union. The US needed a testing facility for aircraft, especially for the U-2 plane. Apart from this, the country used the base to develop numerous spy reconnaissance planes, including the A-12. Both aircraft were ahead of their time as they were able to fly at high altitudes.
Making a Myth
Almost as soon as the testing began so did reports about UFO sightings. And it’s easy to see why. The U-2 could reach 60,000 feet which was unheard of back in the day. Many commercial airline pilots reported seeing this plane whose abilities seemed almost alien to them.
Of course, the USAF knew that most of the unexplained sightings occurred during U-2 tests. However, the officials could not reveal anything to the public as they had to keep the whole operation secret. They resorted to saying that the sightings were a result of natural phenomena or “high-altitude weather research.”
Although Area 51 was built in 1955, it wasn’t until 2013 that the CIA officially acknowledged its existence. The 2013 declassified document reveals much more than any other before it, including a map of the area and Groom Lake (a salt flat used for runways of the Nellis Bombing Range Test Site airport near the military installation).
Conspiracy Theories Regarding Area 51
It took the US government almost 60 years to confirm the existence of Area 51. Naturally, this encouraged many people to develop conspiracy theories about the base. After all, it is located off the beaten track, under constant surveillance, and there were reports of strange sightings in the proximity of the facility.
Here are the most popular theories that make us wonder what is the truth behind Area 51.
A Link Between the Roswell UFO Incident and Area 51
The Roswell UFO incident occurred in 1947, but it still shocks and confuses those researching UFOs.
A rancher had discovered unidentifiable debris on his land and decided to reveal this to the public. The UFO craze was in the beginning stages, so this incident gained a lot of exposure. Rumors started circulating that the debris came from a flying disc. However, the US military said that the crashed object was just a weather balloon. But not everyone believed them.
Today, there are those who speculate that the remains from this flying saucer were brought to Area 51 for reverse engineering experiments. Namely, the government allegedly wanted to replicate the extraterrestrial spacecraft. There was no proof that would back this theory up, but that would change in 1989.
That year a man named Robert Bob Lazar claimed in an interview that he had a close contact with aliens. He went so far as to say that he had helped the US government reverse engineer alien spacecraft at the base. According to Lazar, he had seen photographs of extraterrestrial beings, saying that the facility examined UFOs.
Many disregarded Lazar’s claims as fiction.
Weather Control
Another popular conspiracy theory is that the government wants to secretly manipulate the atmosphere. Allegedly, their goal is to develop a weather control weapon that could change the whole world. So, it doesn’t come as a surprise that people have connected weather control with Area 51.
As you probably know, there are parts of the US which suffer from water shortages. Frequently, farmers and ranchers are fighting over access to water for animal and domestic uses and irrigation.
Meteorologists at the infamous base are believed to have experimented with cloud seeding. This is a type of weather modification that uses substances that could alter the processes within the clouds, making them produce rain.
Others think that scientists are trying to produce hurricanes and storms that could devastate enemy countries.
Interrogation of Captured Aliens
What could be another function of Area 51? Well, if you believe certain conspiracy theorists, the base serves as a regular prison. The only (and major) difference is that the detainees are aliens who know a thing or two about extraterrestrial life.
Bob Lazar supported this theory as well. He recalled that he was walking down one of the hallways at the base when he caught a glimpse of a small alien. The being was standing between two men dressed in white coats, according to Lazar. Of course, he wanted to get a better look, but a guard told him to keep moving.
The Fascinating Area 51
Today, Area 51 is still in use. News outlets report new construction works at the sight. Obviously, the base is expanding and it won’t disappear any time soon. We leave it to you to decide whether or not you believe in many conspiracy theories about Area 51. Regardless of your verdict, you have to admit that something strange is happening at the facility.