Although Area 51 seemingly has an almost mythical status among UFO obsessives and conspiracy theorists, it really exists. Area 51 is a U.S Air Force facility in Nevada and, as very little is disclosed about what actually goes on inside, is one of the world’s most famous secret places. It is so secret, in fact, that its existence was only officially admitted and acknowledged by the CIA in 2013. To this day, the site is not displayed on any official maps. In 1989, a physicist named Bob Lazar, who was employed at Area 51, claimed he had worked on recovering UFOs there. Since then the rumours that the U.S government is keeping and studying alien life inside the extremely well-guarded walls of this site first surfaced and the speculations haven’t stopped since.

Most recently, Area 51 has become the target of a massive internet joke. This started when Matty Roberts jokingly created a Facebook event planning its invasion on September 20th to “see them aliens”, saying “they can’t stop us all”. An impressive 2 million people have agreed to join the event and 1.4 million said they were interested. These responses are on Facebook alone. Since the creation of this Facebook event, social media is filled to the brim with thousands of memes about Area 51. From jokes on raiding Area 51 by doing the Naruto run, people meeting their alien for the first time and their dogs looking terrified by their new alien dancing, these memes have it all and they don’t look like they will come to an end any time soon. Even though so many people have signed up to participate in this event and so much limelight has been shed on it, the organiser admitted he doesn’t plan to carry it out. However, local hotels and inns are entirely sold out for September 20th. People have gone to the lengths of attempting to rent picnic tables to occupy their stay during the invasion. This suggests that many of these participants are taking this invasion seriously. Among other people who don’t think this is a joke: the U.S military. The U.S military is on high alert. They are prepared to detain trespassers at gunpoint and the use of lethal force is authorised if necessary. Are these invaders prepared to fight their way through to “see them aliens”, even if it might cost them their life?

There are still many questions surrounding the mysterious Area 51. What actually goes on inside? Are actual aliens being kept there? Will the “raid” be successful? Could we solve climate change if people were as excited to sign up for events concerning saving the planet, as they are to potentially seeing aliens? But at this point the biggest question of all: what will happen on September 20th? I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the future holds…