A strange, triangular tower discovered inside Area 51 via Google Maps has reignited long-standing speculation around the highly classified military base. The bizarre structure — a tall, three-sided tower with a circular base and dirt road access — was first spotlighted in a viral Reddit thread and reported by UNILAD. Although it appears new to casual observers, satellite tracking suggests it was quietly constructed between 2005 and 2006, and some researchers believe it may even rotate on its axis. Whether it’s a communication device, a test facility, or something more secretive, no one outside the military seems to know for sure — and that’s exactly why the internet can’t look away.
Google Maps Users Spot Something Strange in the Nevada Desert
Located deep in Nevada’s desert, Area 51 has long been a focus of conspiracy theories, with everything from alien spacecraft to experimental aircraft rumored to be housed there. So when users on Reddit discovered a strange triangular tower seemingly appearing on Google Maps imagery, theories ignited fast.
The structure, seen clearly from satellite view, features a circular concrete platform and is positioned near a dirt track within the base’s boundaries. Some users speculated it could be an air traffic control tower, while others went further, suggesting it was built purely to stir public imagination.
“It was built to specifically provoke theoretical conversation,” one Reddit user wrote.
Another chimed in: “Area 51 is the facility they want you to know about so they can freely do whatever at all the black sites nobody knows about.”
Not So New After All
Despite being widely “discovered” in April 2025, the mysterious tower is not actually new. According to Dreamland Resort, a website that tracks developments at Area 51, the structure first appeared on satellite images between September 2005 and January 2006.
The tower is approximately 155 feet tall, with each of its three triangular faces spanning 30 feet. Its proximity to the RCS (Radar Cross Section) range has led some to believe it’s used for classified radar or communication testing, possibly from a remote command center elsewhere in the base.
The most unusual claim? That the structure can rotate around its vertical axis — a design feature uncommon for traditional military installations, and more commonly associated with advanced tracking or signal experiments.
Theories, Silence, and Controlled Mystery
As expected, the U.S. government has offered no official explanation. Area 51, officially known as the Nevada Test and Training Range, wasn’t even formally acknowledged until 2013, despite being active for decades.
This strategic silence fuels ongoing intrigue. While some suggest it’s a benign installation with conventional uses, the lack of nearby support buildings and its precise geometry leave room for less grounded — but far more entertaining — theories.
The timing of its rediscovery on Google Maps has only amplified the mystery, especially given the modern obsession with uncovering secrets hidden in publicly accessible satellite data.
