One of America’s great thinkers once said, “Boy, you’re an alien, your touch so foreign. It’s supernatural, extraterrestrial.” Contrary to what recent news may have you think, it was not a high-ranking Air Force official that said this, it wasKaty Perry, but it seems fitting given that millions of people are planning to storm rumored alien site Area 51 this week.

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Maybe you were scrolling through Facebook and got invited to the famousStorm Area 51event. Or maybe you were talking to your friend who just really believes in aliens andtheysuggested making their bachelorette trip to “Nevada, but not exactly Las Vegas…”

Either way, a lot of people are talking about the famed government facility in Nevada, and if you’re anything like me, your knowledge of the extraterrestrial begins at the classic movieE.T.and ends atKaty Perry’s chart-topping song … also called “E.T.”

For those of us who don’t understand what’s supposedly happening this weekend at Area 51, here’s a little background for you.

What Is Area 51?

The official name of the base is actually Nevada Test and Training Range,notArea 51. It’s used today as an open training range for the United States Air Force. TheCIA saysthat the base gets its nickname from its map designation.

Some believe that Area 51 is actually home to an underground laboratory where the United States government has been studying alien aircraft (a.k.a. UFOs) and/or actual aliens. Those who hold this belief are sure that the military base is nothing more than a front for some good ol' alien research.

Why the Heck Do People Think That?

Well, one conspiracy theory suggests that there was once a UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico, and that the remains of the UFO were brought to Area 51 for testing. Some even think that the government was making attempts to recreate the “spacecraft.” There’s also a conspiracy that the 1969 moon landing was actually filmed on the base.

Not to mention that there are seeminglyplenty of examplesthat the government wants whatever’s going on there to stay totally under wraps.

What Is the BaseActuallyFor?

Well, if not for aliens, then what? Allegedly the base has been used since the ’50s to test the U-2 aircraft, a plane known for its ability to fly at high altitudes during reconnaissance missions. Because the plane flew so high, a lot of people (pilots included) assumed that they were UFOs. And because of all of the secrecy, there was no one to tell them otherwise.

Area 51 is still a testing area for various types of planes (it was used to test the B-2 stealth bomber in the ’80s) and it is assumed that it’s being used to test technology, weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles. Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrewstold theWashington Post,"[Area 51] is an open training range for the U.S. Air Force, and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces. The U.S. Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets."

In other words: If you’re thinking about storming Area 51, you might wanna bring a bicycle, make like E.T. and phone home instead.

source: people.com