Bloke ‘discovers nuke city’ in Area 51 utilizing Google Earth however some blame aliens
Shrouded in secrecy, Area 51 has long been associated with conspiracy theories and speculation.
From aliens to government cover-ups, the mystery surrounding the ultra-secure Nevada desert location has inevitably spawned an army of internet sleuths desperate to get to the bottom of what goes on there. In a viral post uploaded to Reddit earlier this week, one user reckoned he’d made a breakthrough and shared an image from Google Earth of a “1/4 mile crater” along with the caption: “I think I found a ‘nuke town’ near Area 51.”
Within hours, the upload posted in the “interestingasf**k” subreddit attracted 29,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments.
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One commented: “Google Earthing around random parts of Nevada will get you endless amounts of these. Forever ago I found several abandoned military bases and landing sites, whole stretches of roads around ghost cities. Somewhere called ‘Walmart Rd’ that did not have a Walmart, inside one of those probably military towns. Weird stuff.”
![The thread went viral on Reddit](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article32973154.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_carter.jpg)
One user shared an image of what they’d discovered, adding: “On Google Earth Pro (free desktop app) you can find out what bomb caused each crater. This is the largest crater I could find, measuring 0.23 miles across. it was from the US nuke Hermosa and was detonated on APR 2 1985 at 20:00:00.09 GMT. It was a 150 kiloton nuke.”
Another added: “I randomly stumbled across this place on my map app while looking at Area 51. Apparently it’s called the Yucca Flat and was the site of 739 tests.”
One added: “My gf’s late grandmother told me stories of working at the assembly factories near the Nevada site. When they’d do a test launch, the workers got to go watch the explosion from some bleachers in the desert just a few miles out. Surprisingly, she lived until 93 and had no visible tail or wings.”
While one commented: “Dude, those are UFO crash sites.”
Another added: “Nukes? Pfft. Obviously a Sarlacc Pit.”
![Some reckon it could be aliens](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article32973159.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Bloke-reckons-hes-found-a-nuke-town-near-Area-51-by-using-Google-Earth.jpg)
(Image: Reddit)
Nuclear testing at Area 51’s Nevada Test Site officially began in 1951 with the detonation of Shot Able, a one-kiloton bomb.
By 1992, the US government had conducted more than 1,000 nuclear tests, according to the US Atomic Heritage Foundation. About 100 of the tests were atmospheric, with the rest underground.
Test facilities for nuclear rockets and ramjet engines were also used up to the early 1970s. The Atomic Energy Commission originally intended Area 51 to be used for quick experiments conducted with small-scale nuclear bombs.
“The results ideally would then lead to the development of bigger atomic bombs and advanced thermonuclear weapons. In reality, large-scale atmospheric tests became common and lasted for nearly 12 years,” the Foundation said.
![Testing began at the site in 1951](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article32973166.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_jf6668-001.jpg)
(Image: ATOM)
Over the years, Area 51 has become associated with various conspiracy theories and speculation, largely due to its secrecy and the lack of official information about its operations.
It gained significant public attention in the latter half of the 20th century due to claims of UFO sightings and alleged government cover-ups of extraterrestrial activity.
However, the US government has consistently maintained Area 51 is simply a testing and training facility for military aircraft and technology.
Access to Area 51 is heavily restricted, and the perimeter is heavily guarded by security personnel with the surrounding airspace also restricted and unauthorised aircraft prohibited from entering the area.
![People have long been fascinated by the site](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article32973184.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_Google-Maps-users-baffled-by-buildings-that-look-like-secret-nuclear-test-site.jpg)
(Image: Google Earth)
Despite its mysterious reputation, much of what happens at Area 51 remains classified, leading to continued speculation and intrigue. But that doesn’t stop people from looking for the truth.
An example of the facility’s secrets is the Tacit Blue stealth plane which was developed in total secrecy in the 1980s. It was revealed more than a decade later after it had been decommissioned.
The United States’ new B-21 Stealth Raider – described as “the backbone” of the United States’ bomber fleet – was also likely developed at Area 51 and remained completely secret until its unveiling in 2021.
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