Emily Chan
In the arid deserts of Nevada, the U.S. Air Force base, commonly known as Area 51, is notorious for its tales of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial secrets covered up by the government.
Area 51 has spurred more conspiracy theories than any other military facility in the world. The theories claim that the base is used for testing alien technology. Its inaccessibility to the public only serves as support for the theories.
Area 51 is located at Groom Lake, about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas. It was established in 1955 as part of the Nevada Test and Training Range complex. It continues to be an active military installation today.
The name of the base comes from its designation on maps that were created by the Atomic Energy Commission. Today, the base and the complex are part of the Nevada National Security Site. The CIA refers to it as the Groom Lake and Homey Airport.
In 2013, the U.S. military officially acknowledged the existence of the base for the first time after the CIA released formerly classified documents to the National Security Archive at George Washington University.
The documents chronicled the history of the U-2 spy plane. The base has also been visible on Google Maps since 2018.
However, that does not mean people are allowed to visit the base whenever they want. The activities at the base are still kept secret for legitimate military and government purposes. Area 51 employees reach the facility by airplane. They fly in and out of a restricted terminal on unmarked planes.
On the grounds of the base, there are armed guards patrolling the perimeter, which is surrounded by fencing, security cameras, and underground motion sensors. Additionally, there are countless signs warning visitors about fines for trespassing and that taking photos is prohibited.
Initially, Area 51 was a testing site for the U-2 plane, but it eventually became a testing site for other aircraft as well. Since then, many people have reported seeing UFOs around the base. The term UFO does not necessarily allude to alien spacecraft; it can be used to refer to any kind of unidentified flying object.
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