Area 51 is a highly classified United States Air Force facility located in southern Nevada. It gained widespread public interest due to claims that it contains evidence of aliens and UFOs. The site was established in 1950 for experimental aircraft testing, and developed advanced planes during the Cold War to surpass Soviet technology. Conspiracy theories arose from reported sightings of strange lights and flying objects in the sky during the 1950s and 1960s. While the US government refuses to officially acknowledge many of its activities, it is believed Area 51 is still used for developing classified military aircraft and weapons.