Mexico’s ‘Zone of Silence’ Where Radios Die Could be the Glitch in the Matrix
If you’re a big fan of aliens and the supernatural, you can start forgetting about Area 51 and gear up for Mexico’s “Zone of Silence.”
Imagine cruising down a dusty road when suddenly your phone goes silent, radios stop working, and even compasses spin out of control. Creepy, right?
This 50-kilometer zone is part of the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve in a mostly uninhabited area composed of 400,000 hectares. Glitch in the Matrix? Alien colony? We also want to find out.
This area in the Chihuahuan desert is still a mystery. Even for those who live in its proximity, many are debating what actually goes on there. Of course, we had to dig deeper and find out all the tea on it.
The Zone first made headlines in 1970 after a rocket launched from Utah crashed
Although the Zone of Silence was the site of two large meteorite landings in 1938 and 1954, it didn’t make headlines until later.
On July 11, 1970, an Athena rocket launched from a United States air base in Green River, Utah, crashed in the middle of the Zone of Silence. The rocket was meant to study the upper atmosphere as part of a scientific mission and land in White Sands, New Mexico.
The spotlight brought on a slew of tourists and curious investigations. For one, Wernher Von Braun, the rocket scientist who aided in the building of the U.S. Space Program, took some interest. Von Braun built a 16-kilometer trail across the desert to the point of impact with the help of Mexican workers. Still, not much came from their findings.
Eventually, the Mexican government built the reserve. Now, scientists from across the globe visit and research the land, its flora, and fauna.
From prehistoric fossils to ‘Nordic’ aliens, many tales surround the zone
While the Americans may have come and gone over half a century ago, the zone remains a place of myth. For one, the Zone of Silence was once submerged under the Thetys Ocean during prehistoric times, leaving traces of marine fossils.
The Zone is also home to a high concentration of aerolite fragments and peculiar flora and fauna. One of the zone’s curiosities is North America’s largest land reptile. The Gopherus tortoise is accompanied by purplish nopales that turn colors depending on the season.
According to Atlas Obscura, other tales from tourists include seeing tall, light-haired aliens who asked them for water and spoke Spanish. The beings are known as “Nordics” in the area and claim to be from “Above.”
Currently, the remnants of the Zone’s prehistoric history are used by “zoneros” mining salt deposits. For any other purposes, this is an area outsiders should definitely stay away from.
Zoneros are hoping to turn the area into an international tourist destination
As stories of the Zone of Silence continue spreading, natives who live around the area and call themselves “Zoneros” hope to turn the spot into a tourist destination. Benjamin Palacios, who lives in a UFO-shaped ranch, told Atlas Obscura he hopes to give tours.
“I want to build eight small cabanas, each named after a planet in the solar system,” he said.
While his dream may or may not come true, it’s certainly worth a shot. It’s not every day you can check out a remote Mexican town with less than 1,000 inhabitants and possible aliens.
