area 51 in 1984
© google mapsArea 51 in 1984
Ever since the 1950s, the US government's Area 51 - located deep within the remote Nevada desert - has been the subject of intense conspiracy theories.

But now Google Maps has offered a rare glimpse of the mysterious government site - revealing a massive build up of infrastructure at the base over the past 30 years.

Satellite imagery recorded annually since 1984 shows a rapid expansion of buildings and runways at the base.

Area 51
By 1990 another runway appears to have been constructed
Area 51
And in 2007, more buildings can be seen built into the neighbouring mountain
Area 51
Here it is seen in 2016 โ€“ revealing a swathe of new infrastructure.
This includes the construction of a second runway and what appears to be an extension of the first.

Buildings are also being constructed into the side of a nearby mountain - though what they contain remains a mystery.