Are there really Aliens in Area 51?

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Are There Really Aliens in Area 51?"

Who Smarted? – Educational Podcast for Kids
Date: June 26, 2026
Host: Adam Tex Davis, with Themax Files Kamasky & Adam Alien Autopsy Davis
Episode Theme:
This episode dives into the legendary mystery of Area 51. Through humor, trivia, and interactive questions, the show explores whether space aliens have truly visited, the origins of Area 51’s mystique, and the real history behind America's most secretive military base.

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Overview of the Episode’s Main Theme

The episode is a playful yet informative exploration of the Area 51 phenomenon. It navigates popular alien myths, the government’s secretive activities, and why Area 51 is shrouded in so much speculation. Using a blend of storytelling, character voices, and direct audience questions, the hosts guide kids (and adults) through science, history, and pop culture, aiming to separate fact from fiction about aliens, Roswell, and the real purpose of Area 51.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Alien Obsession: Roswell and Area 51 Origins

• [02:36] The myth begins in 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico, when a rancher finds strange debris.

  • The public, already excited by frequent UFO reports, jumps to the conclusion of an alien crash.
  • The U.S. government claims it was a weather balloon, but many people doubt it.
  • “Weather balloon? If that's a weather balloon, I'm the king of England.”
    — Themax Files Kamasky [04:27]

• [04:53] The debris is believed by some to have been sent to a secret military base in Nevada, which is officially called the Nevada Test and Training Range, but is publicly known as Area 51.

What (Supposedly) Happens at Area 51

• The U.S. government denied Area 51’s existence for decades.

  • “No, you're not. Move on." — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [10:28]

• The base was originally established for highly secretive military testing, not aliens.

  • Used during WWII for airstrips and weapons practice; revived by the CIA in 1955.
  • The internal code name was “Paradise Ranch” to entice workers to the desert.
    • “One way to get employees to move to the middle of a desert is to make it sound pleasant. Hence the name, Paradise Ranch.”
      — Adam Tex Davis [12:27]

• Security is extreme: no photos, limited access, no fly-overs, patrolled by armed forces and sensors.

  • “If we find you, we will kick you out by force if we have to.”
    — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [13:47]

Area 51 and Alien Myths

• Area 51 becomes associated with UFOs and aliens mostly due to secrecy and rumors.

• In the late 1980s, Bob Lazar claims he worked at Area 51 and saw alien saucers and bodies.

  • Investigations question his credibility, but he maintains his story.
    • “That settles it. Space aliens love hanging out in hangar 13 in area 51.”
      — Themax Files Kamasky [16:25]
    • “Listen to me. That is not what's happening in Area 51.”
      — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [16:34]

• The government only officially acknowledged Area 51 in 2013, revealing it was used for spy plane development, not alien tech.

  • “In August 2013, after a request from George Washington University, the CIA finally released documents referring to Area 51 and explained that the spot has been used to develop and test top secret spy planes.” — Adam Tex Davis [19:21]
  • “Some of the planes are rather strange looking. Not to mention their flight patterns can seem unusual to those looking from afar. They may appear to be out of this world.”
    — Adam Tex Davis [19:58]

Fast Facts About Area 51

• The mysterious name likely comes from old grid maps marking sections as "areas" with numbers.

  • “Early maps by a government agency divide the base into a grid. … Area 51 borders Area 15 on that map. So the numbers may have been flipped.”
    — Adam Tex Davis [18:28]

• Other code names include Watertown, Dreamland, Groom Lake, and Homie Airport.

• The secrecy only fuels curiosity and speculation about “what the government is hiding.”

Pop Culture, Tourism, and Alien Mania

• Despite all evidence, Area 51 enjoys a fun role in pop culture.
  • “At the town of Rachel…you can find a restaurant and motel called the Little Alien and a general store called the Alien Cowpoke. …maybe even meet a space alien.”
    — Adam Tex Davis [20:48]
  • “Absolutely not.”
    — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [21:18]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Explaining Why Secrecy Fuels Curiosity

  • “What happens when you hear someone you know has a secret? …Chances are, you get more curious.”
    — Adam Tex Davis [13:53]

• Government Secrecy on Display

  • “Nope. We go right from Area 50 to Area 52.”
    — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [10:44]

• Playing Up the Sci-Fi

  • “If that's a weather balloon, I'm the king of England.”
    — Themax Files Kamasky [04:27]

• Drawing the Line Between Fact and Fantasy

  • “Listen to me. That is not what's happening in Area 51.”
    — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [16:34]

• Admitting the Real Purpose

  • “We are not alone.”
    — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [19:37]
  • “Wait, are you saying there's aliens?”
    — Adam Tex Davis [19:41]
  • “No. I mean the United States is not alone in developing spy stuff.”
    — Adam Alien Autopsy Davis [19:43]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:36] – Introduction to the 1947 Roswell Incident
• [04:53] – Debris sent to Nevada/Area 51 Mentioned
• [10:35] – Why the Government Kept Area 51 Secret & Myths Begin
• [12:24-12:27] – Paradise Ranch Naming Explained
• [14:15] – Why People Link Aliens to Area 51
• [15:34-16:25] – Bob Lazar's Claims and Their Doubts
• [18:00] – Naming of Area 51 and its Origins
• [19:21] – Government Finally Acknowledges Area 51 in 2013
• [20:48] – Alien Tourism: Rachel, NV and Little Alien

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Key Insights & Takeaways

• Area 51’s secretive reputation, government denial, and odd aircraft fueled wild speculation about aliens.
• The Roswell incident did not directly involve Area 51, but both became intertwined in the public imagination.
• Top secret military activities—not aliens—are the true reason for Area 51’s existence and secrecy.
• Myth-making is a big part of how secrets catch on, especially when information is scarce.
• Today, Area 51 is a centerpiece of alien-themed tourism and science fiction in the U.S.

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Style & Tone

The episode sparkles with kid-friendly humor, lively roleplay between characters, and encourages interactive thinking. It keeps things imaginative and fun while gently steering listeners toward critical thinking and fact-based history.

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Conclusion

Ultimately, the mysteries of Area 51 persist because secrets are intriguing and the unknown always sparks our imagination. While no evidence supports actual aliens at Area 51, its place in American folklore and pop culture is secure—thanks to history, secrecy, and a whole lot of speculation. And if you want an "alien experience," you just need to visit Rachel, Nevada… or listen to the next episode of Who Smarted?

Transcript

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hey, smarty pants, quick question. Would it be cool to slice flying fruit out of the air like a ninja? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Well, last weekend I was actually doing it in my living room. Just me chopping watermelons and pineapples out of mid air while my dinner was bubbling on the stove. How NEX Playground. NEX Playground is a kid focused game system where your body is the controller. No joystick, no buttons. The playground sees your moves and you're in the game. I've been CR Fruit Ninja and there's also Bluey and Ninja Turtles games, and an Avatar Earth rumble tournament where I got to bend rocks. Dance games, sports games, over 50 games once you add play. Pass smarty parents, here's the part for you. Playground is built kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases, no mature content, no online chat with strangers. Just your smarty pants moving their body, having a blast, playing games that you can actually feel good about. It's the screen time solution that's also extra exercise, which means everyone wins. Check out next [e-mail] that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting. And now it's time for who's smarted? Hey, smarty pants. Question. If a space alien were to visit Earth and wanted to hang out somewhere, Greetings Earthlings. Where do you suppose it would go?

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Take me to your leader.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Ah, of course they would want to talk to someone in charge.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Take me to your leader. Take me to your leader.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Right, but which leader are we talking about? The President of the United States, the King of England, the Chancellor of Germany, the Prime Minister of Japan?

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Um, never mind. Do you know any good vacation spots?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Well, sure. You could go mountain climbing in the Himalayas, swim off the coasts of the Caribbean Islands, enjoy the rides and attractions at Disney World.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

How about sand? I've always wanted to see sand. It's so sandy.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh sure, there's lots of sand on Earth. Mostly in deserts or on beaches in Africa, Australia, Mexico, the United States.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Oh look. I see sand. I see sand. I shall hover over it.

[Adam Tex Davis]

OK, so smarty pants, some people believe way back in 1947, an alien spacecraft flew through the skies of a desert in the United States.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Wee, so fun, so fun.

[Adam Tex Davis]

And crashed somewhere in the state of New Mexico.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Whoops. I'm out of gas. Ow. Take me to your doctor, smarty pants.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Do you know where people say this incident happened? Was it A, Roswell, B, Santa Fe, OR C, Area 51? The answer is a Roswell, New Mexico. At the time, all across the country, people were a little space alien crazy. UFO sightings were an almost daily occurrence with people claiming to have seen or even been abducted by spaceships. Though none of these stories were ever proven to be true. Then In June of 1947, a rancher discovered some unusual debris just outside of Roswell. And. And amidst all the spaceship, Buzz assumed it was something extraterrestrial. Yee haw.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

I just found something from space. Greetings, Earthling. Sorry, I have sand in my mouth hole.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But it didn't take long for the US Government to get involved.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

I'll be taking that.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Uh, who are you?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Nobody. We were never here. You never saw us.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yep. According to the story, government officials swooped in and immediately took the materials away. Later, the government claimed the strange wreckage in the desert came from a balloon used to track weather. But people didn't believe them.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Weather balloon? If that's a weather balloon, I'm the king of England.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Imaginations ran wild with stories of alien saucers and top secret government coverups. As to what happened to the debris found in Roswell, a good number of people believe it was sent to a top secret location inside a military base in the state of Nevada. Smartypants, can you guess the name of that spot?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

It's the Nevada Test and Training Range.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yep, that is the official name of the base, but most people know it as Area 51.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Shh.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

You did not see that alien.

[Adam Tex Davis]

This is a podcast, so we didn't see anything. But we do have some questions. No, but I didn't even ask it yet.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Okay, but the answer's still no.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Smarty pants. What exactly do we know about Area 51? Why is it so secretive? What's really going on over there? And did a UFO really crash in Roswell?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

That's none of your business.

[Adam Tex Davis]

It's time for another whiff of history, science and science fiction on who smarted,

[Themax Files Kamasky]

who's smarted, who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Listen up, everyone.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

We make smarting lots of fun. But who's smarted?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hang in there, smartypants. We'll be right back with more smarting right after this quick ad break for our sponsors. Hey, smarty. Family picture. Seventh grade trustee at the kitchen table staring at a page of math homework that might as well have been written in Dragonese. I just didn't get it. My parents could afford a few sessions with a tutor, and they went at my pace, but they could only help when they were there. Boy, do I wish IXL learning had existed back then. IXL is like a friendly tutor, working at your pace and adjusting to your needs. IXL has pretty much every subject you're capable pit studies with friendly explanations when they get stuck and fun celebrations when they get it right. Homeschool Parents, this is especially for you. I know summer schedules are all over the place and 10 minutes here and there with IXL lets you keep the homeschool learning momentum going in a fun way all summer long. Over 15 million students use it and it's backed by real research who Smarted Listeners get an exclusive 20% off when you sign up today [e-mail] smartid so sign up today and give your smarty pants the experience I wish I'd had access to. That's ixl.com smartid for your exclusive 20% off. Hey smarty pants, Quick question. Would it be cool to slice flying fruit out of the air like a ninja? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Well, last weekend I was actually doing it in my living room. Just me chopping watermelons and pineapples out of mid while my dinner was bubbling on the stove. How Nex Playground Nex Playground is a kid focused game system where your body is the controller. No joystick, no buttons. The playground sees your moves and you're in the game. I've been crushing fruit Ninja and there's also Bluey and Ninja Turtles games and an Avatar Earth Rumble tournament where I got to bend rocks. Dance games, sports games. Over 50 games. Once you add play pass smarty parents. Here's the part for you. Playground is built kid safe. No ads, no in app purchases, no mature content, no online chat with strangers. Just your smarty pants moving their body, having a blast playing games that you can actually feel good about. It's the screen time solution that's also exercise, which means everyone wins. Check out next playground@nexus playground.com that's nexplayground.com Trust me, your living room is about to get a lot more interesting.

[Mindy from Wow in the World]

Hey grown ups. Mindy here from wow in the World and your family's next Favorite Game Show Podcast 2 what's in a wow People who wow Edition in this getting to know you game show we are visited by some of the world's most interesting people to get the wows and the watts of their lives. Like this one from 300 time Guinness World Record breaker David Rush.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I had the longest time balancing a running chainsaw on my chin.

[Mindy from Wow in the World]

So is this a true WOW record he broke or a Big phony. What? Listen to two what's in a People who Wow Edition. Wherever you get your podcasts, just follow on the wow in the World feed and meet a new person who wows every Friday.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Now back to who's smarted. Okay, smarty pants. True or false? Most people believe space aliens live among us on planet Earth, disguised as humans. The answer is false. In our who Smarted? Episodes on UFOs and space aliens, we reported that most people, especially scientists, do not believe space aliens have landed on Earth.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Told you. Nothing to see here.

[Adam Tex Davis]

However, One study found 20% of people around the world do think space aliens live here. That means if Your classroom has 25 students, five of them likely believe that space aliens are among us.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

There are no space aliens here.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I didn't say they were here. I said people believe they are here.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Greetings, Earthlings. I am here.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

No, you're not. Move on.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But this is Area 51, right?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

I told you, there's no such place.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Right, and that's one reason why Area 51 became the stuff of legend. For decades, the US government refused to admit that it even existed.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Nope. We go right from Area 50 to Area 52.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Right? Officially, the base that houses Area 51 started off with a very specific purpose. Smartypants. Can you guess why the US Government would own a big spot in the desert? Was it A, to practice using aircraft and weapons for war? B, to build a field of satellites to study space noise, or C, to house aliens?

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Wow. I love what you've done with the place.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

No, no, no.

[Adam Tex Davis]

The answer is A. During World War II, the US military built airplane runways in the desert and used the site to practice firing weapons. After the war, the spot was largely abandoned until 1955, when the CIA, the US agency that handles, among other things, government spying and secrecy, took interest in the land. Smarty pants, what do you suppose the CIA called this patch of desert? Was it A, the hot zone, B, Area 51, or C, Paradise Ranch? The answer is C. Paradise Ranch. Now, why do you suppose they called it that?

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Hey, this place has popsicles and a swimming pool. This is paradise. And look, there's cows. It must be a ranch.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Not quite.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

It's because they wanted to convince workers to move here.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Finally, we get an actual answer from our government agent friend. But he's right. One way to get employees to move to the middle of a desert is to make it sound pleasant. Hence the name, Paradise Ranch. Of course, once the workers got here, usually by flying in unmarked airplanes, they were immediately required to keep everything they See and do here a secret.

[Mindy from Wow in the World]

Shh.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Whoops. Sorry I mentioned the popsicles, swimming pool and cows.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

I can neither confirm nor deny any of that.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

I did notice something strange. The buildings here don't have windows. Even my flying saucer has a window.

[Adam Tex Davis]

That's because the government doesn't want anyone looking inside to see what's going on. For years, they also didn't allow satellites to photograph the base.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

No pictures, please.

[Adam Tex Davis]

So even Apple and Google Maps couldn't show it.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

But I like getting my photo taken. Cheese.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

I'll take that.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Hey.

[Adam Tex Davis]

The government has taken other measures to keep the base containing Area 51 a secret. Except for a small group of people, nobody is allowed to fly over or drive here. There are security forces, cameras, radar and motion sensors scanning the area, making sure there's nobody here who shouldn't be here.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

And if we find you, we will kick you out by force if we have to.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But, smarty pants, let's think about this. What happens when you hear someone you know has a secret? Do you get more or less curious? Chances are, you get more curious. And because Area 51 is so off limits and so full of secrecy, people have naturally wondered what goes on there.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Adam Tex Davis]

And when people don't get answers, they start to make guesses. Smartypants, true OR FALSE? Area 51 is the only top secret location. The answer is false. There are many highly guarded, highly secretive areas around the world. So why is Area 51 associated with space aliens? Well, as you heard earlier, during the 1940s, there were many false reports of spaceship sightings.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Ah, but are you sure those reports are false?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yeah, pretty sure. Smartypants, after the Roswell incident, what did people say about Area 51? A, spaceships fly in the skies there, B, the military is working with alien technology, or C, a hangar there contains alien saucers. The answer is all three. For years, people have spotted strange aircraft flying at high altitudes over Area 51. And then in the late 1980s, a man named Bob Lazer claimed to have worked inside Area 51. He told a news reporter that he not only saw photographs of alien bodies inside the facility, but he also helped scientists try to figure out how the military could use alien spaceship technology. Laser also claimed to have seen nine alien saucers inside a hangar at Area 51.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

See, I told you. Area 51 is where it's at. And by it, I mean me.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Not true. Don't believe a word of it.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yeah, well, the government hasn't said much, but investigations into Laser's background Have cast doubt as to whether he's telling the truth. Reports say he may have lied about his education and his job, but he stands by his story.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

That settles it. Space aliens love hanging out in hangar 13 in area 51.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

No, you don't.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Yes, we do.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Listen to me. That is not what's happening in Area 51.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hold on. Didn't you say earlier there's no such place as Area 51?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Uh, I mean Paradise Ranch.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Nuh, you said Area 51.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Fine, there's an Area 51, but there are no space aliens there. It's top secret for another reason.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Another reason? What other reason?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Do you really want to know?

[Adam Tex Davis]

We sure do. And we'll find out what it is right after this quick ad break and a word from our sponsors. Now back to who's smarted. Okay, smarty pants. As you know, the US government calls the location of Area 51 Paradise Ranch and the Nevada Test and Training Range. But did you know that it's also known as Watertown Dreamland and Groom Lake and Homie Airport?

[Themax Files Kamasky]

I did not know that.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But most news organizations, conspiracy theorists and science fiction writers just call it Area 51? Smarty pants, how do you suppose it got that name? A, 51 is government code for UFO. B, this is the 51st base established in America. Or C, the area was marked 51 on a government map.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

The answer is a secret.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Actually, yeah. There is some mystery as to why Area 51 is called Area 51, but the likely answer is C. Early maps by a government agency divide the base into a grid with the squares getting numbers such as Area 1, Area 2 and so forth. The problem is the numbers only go up to 30 and Area 51 wasn't even included in the grid.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

That's odd.

[Adam Tex Davis]

True. However, Area 51 borders Area 15 on that map. So the numbers may have been flipped to mark the now famous spot. Either that or the map maker simply chose a random number for it.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Or maybe, like I said earlier, Area 51 doesn't exist.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Sure. Except we both know that it does.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Aha. I knew it.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Even some old formerly top secret government documents refer to the spot as Area 51. But smarty pants, I ask you this. After its creation in 1955, when did the US government finally admit Area 51 exists? Was it 1978, 1996, 2013? Or never? The answer is 2013.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

Whoa.

[Adam Tex Davis]

In August 2013, after a request from George Washington University, the CIA finally released documents referring to Area 51 and explained that the spot has been used to develop and test Top Secret spy planes.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Fine, you got us. But we are not alone.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Wait, are you saying there's aliens?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

No. I mean the United States is not alone in developing spy stuff. Lots of countries want to know what others are doing. Sometimes that requires flying over another country's airspace without being detected. Only special spy planes can do that.

[Adam Tex Davis]

And some of the planes are rather strange looking. Not to mention their flight patterns can seem unusual to those looking from afar. They may appear to be out of this world.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Affirmative. But we couldn't discuss these planes until now. We didn't want our enemies or friends back then knowing about them. Because of that, we have kept this base very, very secretive.

[Adam Tex Davis]

So are you still working on spy Technology at Area 51?

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

No comment.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Gotcha. Well, at least now that the government has acknowledged the existence of Area 51, it has allowed satellite pictures to be taken of it. You can even look it up on Apple and Google Maps.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

So if Area 51 is not a cool place for space aliens, where can we hang out?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, there are certainly spots just outside Paradise Ranch that are fit for space aliens and sci fi fans. The locals have embraced the area's reputation. At the town of Rachel, which is closest to Area 51, you can find a restaurant and motel called the Little Alien and a general store called the Alien Cowpoke. You can enjoy an alien themed meal and pick up some alien souvenirs and

[Themax Files Kamasky]

maybe even meet a space alien.

[Adam Tex Davis]

You never know.

[Adam Alien Autopsy Davis]

Absolutely not.

[Themax Files Kamasky]

No, never mind. Which way to Mars?

[Adam Tex Davis]

A big shout out to my special smarty friend Kenwin and his dad Jeremy in Portland, Oregon. Kenwin loves whosmarted so much that he wrote me a letter. It says who Smarted is the only podcast that I listen to with eight exclamation points. Aw, thanks for that. I am so glad to have you smarting with us. And I think you are an amazing smartypants. With nine exclamation points. This episode, Area 51 was written by Dave do you believe Beaudry? And voiced by Themax Files Kamasky, Adam Alien Autopsy Davis and Jerry Colber. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Nothing to Hide Han. Our associate producer is Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Lost in Space Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic audio production.