logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2018
42m 34s

Area 51

SPOTIFY STUDIOS
About this episode
From its founding in 1955 until 2013, Area 51 was completely top-secret. The CIA did everything to keep it this way, from denying its existence to trying to wipe images of the base off of every map. But how was Area 51 founded… and why?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
Up next
Today
The Rothko Scam
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Manhattan’s Knoedler Gallery made about $80 million selling art by Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Robert Motherwell, and other Abstract Expressionist icons. But in 2011, the truth came out: the paintings were forgeries. The buyers were scammed. E ... Show More
48m 39s
Nov 19
Tesla's Death Ray
Nikola Tesla patented over 300 inventions. When he died, the US government confiscated 80 trunks of his notes and blueprints… and only returned 60 to his heir. In his lifetime, Tesla tinkered with weather control machines, alien transmission readers, and a “death ray” that would ... Show More
50m 6s
Nov 13
Was the Lindbergh Kidnapping an Inside Job?
Several murders have been dubbed “the crime of the century," but the Lindbergh kidnapping case of 1932 might actually deserve the title. According to some, it shaped the culture of conspiracy theories in America. Was Bruno Richard Hauptmann really guilty, or was he framed? Did he ... Show More
44m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
What Is Really Inside Area 51?
Get ready to explore the mysteries of Area 51 with Decoding the Unknown. Learn about the origins of the UFO conspiracy theory and discover the truth behind the top-secret testing facility in Nevada. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices 
49m 22s
Jan 2023
The Truth About Area 51
<p>Fake moon landings, aliens and secret weapons; conspiracy theories about Area 51 abound but what exactly is it, and do we know anything about it with certainty? Dan is joined by Annie Jacobsen, investigative journalist and author of <em>Area 51: An Uncensored History of Americ ... Show More
22m 33s
Sep 2023
AREA 51: IN THE HEART OF DARKNESS
<p>Area 51 is a highly secretive and classified U.S. military facility located in the Nevada desert. Officially known as the Nevada Test and Training Range, it has historically been used for the development and testing of advanced military aircraft and technology. In our upcomin ... Show More
6m 5s
Jan 2021
Declassified UFOs Pt. 4: 1970s Through Present Day
The Freedom of Information Act allowed civilian UFOlogists to access information the government had kept under wraps. But after the millennium, the U.S. government itself decided to get back into the game — and discover once and for all where UFOs come from. Learn more about your ... Show More
46m 47s
Jul 2023
The Alaska Triangle Pt. 1
Missing planes, government cover-ups, something called the Dark Pyramid… The mysteries run deep in this remote region of Alaska, which has been earning an unnerving—and some say, supernatural—reputation since the 1950s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/a ... Show More
36m 53s
Mar 2023
Storming Area 51 + The Baghdad Phantom
What began as a social media meme exploded into a cultural phenomenon. A joke about “storming” the Area 51 military base revealed widespread public frustration with excessive government secrecy about UFOs. For a few individuals, the legal consequences were severe. Plus, the exclu ... Show More
2h 4m
Jun 2016
Saigon, 1965
In the early 1960s the Pentagon set up a top-secret research project in an old villa in downtown Saigon. The task? To interview captured North Vietnamese soldiers and guerrillas in order to measure the effect of relentless U.S. bombing on their morale. Yet despite a wealth of gre ... Show More
41m 5s
Jan 2021
Declassified UFOs Pt. 1: Project Sign
In 1947, a team of Air Force officials and scientific experts began studying unidentified flying objects spotted in American skies. Their investigations under Project Sign marked the beginning of a decades-long battle for objectivity and transparency in UFO research. Learn more a ... Show More
44m 7s
Jun 2024
Plum Island: America's Bioweapons Conspiracy Hotspot
Uncover the chilling history of Plum Island, a secretive hub for biological warfare and controversial animal experiments. Explore its mysterious past, government operations, and the truth behind the conspiracy theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic ... Show More
51m 6s
Oct 2023
501: DEEP DIVE: The Adam & Eve Apocalypse Story
<div>In 1966 a well-known engineer released a book with information that could impact everyone on earth. But before anyone could read it, it was classified by the CIA.<br> <br> We only learned of its existence a few years ago because of a Freedom of Information request.<br> <br> ... Show More
53m 48s