Inside Area 51 is an Air Force base, near the shore of Groom Dry Lake, which the government does not discuss, ever. In addition, the base has been the traditional testing ground for the latest generation of secret aircraft since those early days. It' s also known to have the longest aircraft runway in the world. Since very little is ever said officially about Area 51, speculation and rumors are rife. Anything as hush-hush as this military installation is bound to cause such talk.
Most rumors relate to UFOs and captured aliens.
Since about 1989, many tourists have been coming to the public lands closest to Area 51, trying to scan the skies for evidence of alien aircraft. Generally, you can not get any closer than twenty-five miles of the base. For those who see conspiracies in every corner, Area 51 has become a popular symbol for the alleged U.S. government UFO cover-up. That's why Area 51 is sometimes referred to as a state of mind. A gentleman by the name of Bob Lazar claims he worked with extraterrestrial flying saucers at an installation at Papoose Lake, south of Groom Lake in an area he calls S-4.