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1359
1360

The real reason it's still a secret... (i.imgur.com)

submitted ago by AndyAndino

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[–]Ikarus3426 66 points67 points ago

How incredibly upset would you be if they just said they test planes and weather balloons there.

[–][deleted] 24 points25 points ago

I wouldn't be upset. What the actual secret is what type of test planes are being tested.

[–]lurking_bishop 15 points16 points ago

This

It's common knowledge that Area 51 was/is used for prototype aircraft testing. If you think about that the current generation of military aircraft is about 20-30 years old (since development started), there is a LOT of mindblowing stuff to see.

Remember the recent announcement that a fully automatic space shuttle successfully returned from a one-year long mission? Remember the helicopters that were used to kill Bin Laden nobody has ever heard of before? I think there is even more amazing technology that has never made the news.

I do digital design for my master's thesis, and I am constantly amazed about the hardware that Intel and Co are able to churn out. The complexity of the chips boggles my mind even more since I understand how long it would take me or our small lab to produce something similar. And I'm not talking about the cost of producing the chip in silicon, I'm just talking about the functional design at the Register-Transfer-Level

Of course, Intel has a lot of people and a lot of experience and uses a lot of refactoring, so they are able to maintain this crazy Tick-Tock pace for years.

However, Military R&D is even more privileged in that regards, simply because they have even more funding and they can take their time and they have less people to answer to/less regulations to follow

tl;dr: Area 51 probably never harbored Aliens, but saying there's nothing to see is even more ignorant

[–]AmbulatoryAndroid 1 point2 points ago

However, Military R&D is even more privileged in that regards, simply because they have even more funding and they can take their time and they have less people to answer to/less regulations to follow

My experience with JTRS would say exactly the opposite. I'm sure there are a lot of advanced technologies kept hidden, but I suspect they're a lot more mundane than suspected, and a lot of military R&D money ends up on dead ends.

[–]lurking_bishop 2 points3 points ago

I'm not saying that the Military has a working fusion reactor, but these "mundane technologies" are what's actually interesting to me.

There are so may things I'd like to have but can't not because they are impossible to produce but much MUCH too expensive to be able to compete in the free market.

[–]Tetha 2 points3 points ago

One big problem is: Amazing technology is not shiney. Often, amazing technology is two plates of steel welded together correctly such that they redirect explosive force. Amazing technology could be a better geometric shape for a vehicle such that radar waves are dispersed better. It could be a better user interface for the gunner, using eye tracking.

None of this would be as shiney as an UFO-ish autonomous battle helictopter, but every one of those is an amazing improvement in itself.

[–]HighlySpammable 0 points1 point ago

Not always, I hear one time they got a batmobile out of it.

[–]darkpaladin 0 points1 point ago

I dunno, look at the stuff that came out of Lockheed in the 70's. Those stealth planes are still unbelievable marvels of engineering and no one knew they existed for a long time. You have to believe that there are still programs of that level that we don't know about.

[–]dabezian 0 points1 point ago

Nice try, DoD.

[–]adaminc 2 points3 points ago

Regular consumer planes.

[–]dangerbird2 2 points3 points ago

It's a little more interesting than that. We already know that area 51 was the test site for Lockheed's Skunk Works experimental aircraft division. It's been all but confirmed that they used Area 51 to test the U-2 spy plane, the SR-71 (the fastest airplane in history), and the F-117 steath fighter when they were classified. A bit more interesting than consumer aircraft, or alien spaceships to be honest.

[–]Ikarus3426 1 point2 points ago

Well, to me, nothing man made could possibly be more interesting than alien spaceships. Guess we're going to disagree with that one.

[–]krooloo 0 points1 point ago

Right, consumer aircraft - alien spaceship, tomato, tomato.

[–]JTDeuce 0 points1 point ago

Yeah, I think alien spaceships would be a hell of a lot more interesting than any planes we may have in the works. However, I do agree that there probably isn't any at Area 51.

[–]Jarroseph 2 points3 points ago

My dads friend was put in area 51 when there was risk of bombing one time. His job was that he constructed bombs I think for the us military and for safety they put him in there. It was relatively recent I think. He told my dad that it was massive, like a city underground. After my dad asked if there were like forbidden areas he laughed and said yes. He said there were sectors and floors that you couldn't get to. For all we know they could be researching anything in those places, it's certainly secure enough for it.

[–]Jinnofthelamp 4 points5 points ago

Ok you've posted this story 6 times here. Is reddit throwing up the old 502 error again?

[–]Ikarus3426 0 points1 point ago

Don't get me wrong, I would absolutely love to roam around like Dee Dee in Dexter's Lab and just touch everything, but if someone is expecting aliens and non-human technology, they might be disappointed by advanced human technology. The disappointment would probably wear off pretty quick though as we see all the cool stuff humans have come up with.

[–]jimbolauski 0 points1 point ago

Your friends dad is full of shit or should be in jail or you are. Area 51 is still unacknowledged so it's existence and any info about its facilities is classified.

[–]SvenSvensen 1 point2 points ago

I wonder to what degree you would "know" exactly what goes on at area 51. If you magically understood how to make cutting-edge aircraft you could make way more than $1million with a bit of work.

[–]tommijones 79 points80 points ago

I've already come to my own conclusions on Area 51 whether I know the exact facts or not. A million dollars, on the other hand, may be of particular use to me. I see nothing surprising or wrong with the poll results.

[–]jackzander 25 points26 points ago

"Knowing" the truth wouldn't make you any more interesting or spectacular.

If you could prove what you knew, though, that's a game-changer.

[–]weasel-like 4 points5 points ago

Right, without proof you'd just be this guy.

[–]tonypotenza 8 points9 points ago

With proof of Area 51, you could make a hell lot more than 1 million American greenbacks.

[–]Dambem 12 points13 points ago

Or, it turns out to be something really shit like "Oh, we where just designing a new ship, nothing cool."

[–]fench 5 points6 points ago

A million fish!

I'm in

[–]classy_stegasaurus 0 points1 point ago

You could sell those fish for like, three bucks a pop! Then you'll have three million!

[–]Alxe 2 points3 points ago

Or just get killed.

[–]CHAAAZZZZ 1 point2 points ago

It doesn't say you would get proof, just knowledge. For all you know all of the nut jobs saying ridiculous things are correct they just don't have documents or whatever to prove it.

[–]Roaning 0 points1 point ago

That's means god could exist?

[–]Tetha 0 points1 point ago

Yes. God could exist, ghosts could exist, a method to travel faster than light could exist. Current data doesn't show any of this, and thus, occams razor dictates to assume these things don't exist, but that's an assumption, as founded or reasonable as it is.

[–]zeppelinfromled 0 points1 point ago

It depends how we define "exactly." Does knowing "exactly" what happened include knowing the specs and designs for all of the aircraft that have been built or tested there?

[–]Bayshun 6 points7 points ago

I've already come to my own conclusions on Area 51 whether I know the exact facts or not.

Congratulations, you're the media!

[–]INtheANALSofHistory 2 points3 points ago

No downvotes for a reason. Everyone agrees(on the money at least)

I apologize in advance, as this will surely bring you downvotes.

[–]zhenxing -1 points0 points ago

19% are liars.

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]ILL_Show_Myself_Out 32 points33 points ago

You'd have to prove that you know. Besides which, I know what happened there: nothing. And I'm not getting any money out of it.

[–]Ikarus3426 11 points12 points ago

....unless THEY paid you to say nothing happened there.

I'm on to you.

[–]Hellman109 4 points5 points ago

He obviously didnt accept the money...

[–]brunaland 2 points3 points ago

I'm confused

[–]Andy_1 4 points5 points ago

COVER YOUR EARS BRUNALAND, THEY'RE ON TO YOU!

[–]Ikarus3426 0 points1 point ago

....unless THEY paid him to SAY he didn't accept the money, and he's paid YOU to poke holes in my theories.

It's all coming together.

[–]Jase534 0 points1 point ago

Unless they KILLED you to prevent anything happening*

[–]Exploding_Knives 2 points3 points ago

Or if what happens there really is that uninteresting...

[–]TheSmartestMan 1 point2 points ago

Tell that to Bob Lazar.

[–]dudley-vs-mothy 1 point2 points ago

I'd say that there probably once was top secret testing and the like there, but now it's just more of a mundane base. Maybe something cool happens there every so often, but not usually. But it has such a huge aura of mystery surrounding it that people with always be intrigued by it.

Heck the government probably plays it up to draw attention to it to keep people occupied.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

Guys! Guys! HEY GUYS! I know what happened at Area 51!

that's nice

[–]AndyAndino[S] 0 points1 point ago

The little 'i' button said:

"You can tell the world what you learn, but let's be honest, you would sound crazy."

[–]ZiggyZombie -1 points0 points ago

You'd make more money knowing the secret and telling the China.

FIFY

[–]Schitiznik83 4 points5 points ago

Ignorance is bliss. A million dollars is a million dollars.

[–]skullybones 1 point2 points ago

"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

[–]RhinoMan2112 2 points3 points ago

what game is this?

[–]walkingtheriver 1 point2 points ago

http://www.yourather.com/

[–]wolfmann 1 point2 points ago

I'd hold out for 10 million.

[–]That1Time 1 point2 points ago

That book deal would make millions.

[–]Skilol 6 points7 points ago

The question if you only get to know what happened there or get proves for it.

If you just know it, nobody will believe you, especially if it's something rather unspectacular.

[–]Basbhat 4 points5 points ago

oh man, those proves!

[–]Bumtown 2 points3 points ago

Whatever it is, it's guaranteed to be disappointing.

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4313

I'd take the money.

[–]d0rkn1g1t 1 point2 points ago

Knowing what happened at Area 51 doesn't do me any good. There's no mention of proof. Without proof, regardless of whether it's the truth or not, I'm just another crackpot with a conspiracy theory.

$1,000,000 however, is immediately useful.

[–]KimboSpice 0 points1 point ago

I think the question should be worded differently to create more impact/be worth giving up a million dollars. I would love to know what has happened and is happening there, but $1,000,000 sounds far more appealing to me personally. Now if I could reveal to EVERYONE and they actually believe me then it just might be worth the million, but still in the end I would probably take the million because it's a secret testing facility for a reason and why would I want to release my country's most top secret technology?

TL;DR There's probably an Area 52 somewhere we don't know about anyways

[–]Shadoni 3 points4 points ago

Area 52 exists

[–]KimboSpice 1 point2 points ago

Holy shit it really does

Wiki Link - Tonopah Test Range

[–]Shadoni 0 points1 point ago

Woop. Did not expect it to really exist, the military is really lacking in the imagination department.

[–]jimbolauski 1 point2 points ago

Area 51 and 52 got their names because that is what the government called them when they were partitioning the land before anything was there. There is an area 50 and 53.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

If you found out what happened in Area 51, wouldn't a book deal be worth more than a million dollars?

[–]daitsdudes 0 points1 point ago

I am the 19%

[–]THAT_HORSE_GUY 0 points1 point ago

If I knew the secret to area 51 I could sell it to the bullshit media for more than 1 million dollars.

[–]Eternity42Immensity 0 points1 point ago

The problem here is that everyone thinks that Area 51 has big government secrets, but everyone knows where it is.

Why would the government keep secrets in a place we all know exists? Classic misdirection if you ask me.

[–]Vulturas 0 points1 point ago

Why not this? Find out secret first, then sell it out for 2M.

[–]orthag 1 point2 points ago

People obsess over Area 51 too much. Why doesn't any one pay attention to Wright-Patterson AFB? That place has a much longer history of top secret projects than Area 51.

[–]jimbolauski 0 points1 point ago

Wpafb has loads of aliens in hangar 18, which is a gym I had one spot me the other day. There is a lot of R&D that goes on there but it is way too public of an area for the toys.

[–]orthag 0 points1 point ago

They probably didn't do anything with aliens, but they did do some research on jet engine and stealth technology during the cold war, as well as reverse engineering of captured soviet aircraft. And before that they were the testing grounds for all new military planes, until the bases out west opened up in the late 40s and 50s. Now they're doing something with drones that's less secretive.

[–]jimbolauski 0 points1 point ago

They are doing more then drone research it's a huge base employing over 25000 military, civilian, and contractors.

[–]orthag 0 points1 point ago

The drone research is the only thing they'll admit to.

[–]ortez16 1 point2 points ago

Can someone please tell me what the name I this app / website is please.

[–]tal2410 0 points1 point ago

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=you+rather#

[–]ortez16 0 points1 point ago

Thanks!

[–]ConnectQ 0 points1 point ago

What happens if you fly a plane over area 51? Does it get shot down?

[–]jimbolauski 0 points1 point ago

You probably would be escorted by jets flying from nellis or Edwards if you didn't comply you would die. When you landed it would be the last time you ever flew.

[–]CCNDRY 0 points1 point ago

Hey Everyone, Jarroseph's Dad's friend was put in area 51 once!

[–]biggie101 0 points1 point ago

I'd take the tour, then sell the info for billions

[–]Motorsagmannen 0 points1 point ago

hey, i dont care about area 51 at all. 1 mill dollars on the other hand...

[–]JohnAdamZiolkowski 0 points1 point ago

Is no one realizing that if you find out what goes on in secret places, you get silenced? If you tried to tell the secrets, you'd be sued into oblivion, or arrested, if you aren't already dead.

I'd take the million dollars without any regret.

[–]Izenhart 0 points1 point ago

I'd get to know what happened in Area51, then sell my information to the russians for about 20 millions.

[–]JoinRedditTheySaid 1 point2 points ago

Stealth planes, big whoop.

[–]SonVolt 0 points1 point ago

They use Area 51 to design and test new military aircraft. Why is this still something people argue about?

[–]Thomasjames197 0 points1 point ago

id go with the knowledge and then use it to write a book and make millions.

[–]DeFeet 0 points1 point ago

Have proof of Aliens in Area 51

vs

$1 Million

Go with Area 51!

Find out that Area 51 is really just an experimental aircraft testing ground like they hint at, but aren't allowed to actually confirm

vs

$1 Million

Go for the $1 Million!

[–]callummacinnes 0 points1 point ago

I would take the million, put half of it in a savings account and use the other half to pay for travel to Nevada having paid for a small army of people who want to find out what happened at Area 51, armed with weapons to storm it. If they are successful and find something I will sell my story for millions and probably end up in jail, but it would be worth it. If not, my minions have died and I leave quickly.

[–]jimbolauski 0 points1 point ago

Jail for raising an army to attack a military base, that's pretty optimistic.

[–]Tdaug1996 0 points1 point ago

i work at area 51. we torture terrorists... FUCK DA RULES!

[–]tier19345 0 points1 point ago

most people know nothing happened so they are smart to take the million

[–]Jacosion 0 points1 point ago

Only if they don't tax it before it hits the bank account.

[–]gmoney99 0 points1 point ago

I'll the take 1 million anyday.

the answers " aliens or ufo " isn't worth 1 million bucks considering thats already known speculation. Now if they were to show us 1 of the 2, perhaps that might be worth something.

[–]Mandalahashberry 0 points1 point ago

or sell the info. for 2 million

[–]MadHezz 0 points1 point ago

If 'twas the reason, 19% of the people are really good secret keepers. Not very likely! With 19% of the population knowing what'sup, it'll leak in no time 'tall!

Have an upvote, and a nice day friend! I had a chuckle.

[–]ThankGodForInnernets 0 points1 point ago

One could know what happened so that they could tell the world and make more than a million telling the story.

[–]excitementgang 0 points1 point ago

Meh. There are loads of other AFB's that house black projects. I visited a friend at Edwards in the Mojave and the neighboring Palmdale base was one such place.

[–]thejackcooper 0 points1 point ago

Just find out and then write a book = millions, simples.

[–]rdm9313 -1 points0 points ago

-take the million -offer 250K to the /b anon who names any janitor from area 51 -offer another 250k to that janitor for information on area 51 -now you know pretty much what happened at area 51 and pretty much kinda really just have half of the million dollars

[–]WaffleWarrior64 8 points9 points ago

-realize he's just a janitor and he knows nothing and you wasted half a million

[–]rdm9313 -1 points0 points ago

-realize out of nowhere we have been transported to the parallel world of good will hunting

[–]Nullvoid123 0 points1 point ago

Please... Charge your phone. The battery meter is painful to look at.

[–]BlastMeBagpipes -2 points-1 points ago

A million dollars or find out there's nothing in a place that doesn't exist. Yeah, I think I'm going for the million.

[–]stonedsasquatch 0 points1 point ago

doesnt exist?

[–]BlastMeBagpipes 0 points1 point ago

As in a secretive alien base. That place your showing only took on the name after the name Area 51 became popular in pop culture.

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]forshow 0 points1 point ago

I heard your dads friend was put in area 51 dude.

[–]frotc914 -3 points-2 points ago

Take $1M >>> bribe way into Area 51 with $100k >>> Know what happened, keep $900k.

[–]Only_One_Left_Foot 0 points1 point ago

I would like to know what happened so I can charge $10,000 to tell each person.

[–]Sir_FuzzyNipples -1 points0 points ago

Intelligence on the manifests of area 51's history is wayyyy more valuable than 1,000,000...

[–]FiatJustitia956 0 points1 point ago

you can keep it, I'll take my $1,000,000

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