Sometimes, scientists make discoveries that make everyone take a step back and say, "Wait, what's this, now?" That happened in 2007, when The Guardian reported on a massive, prehistoric penguin that had been discovered in Peru.
The fossils belonged to a penguin that had lived about 36 million years ago, and that's not the weirdest thing about it. Scientists say that it looked pretty much like one of today's penguins, with a thick neck and flippers meant for swimming... but it was roughly 5 feet tall, and the 7-inch long beak it sported could do some serious damage. It was so weird, in fact, that researchers started to suspect it used that beak like a spear.
The prehistoric penguin was formally named Icadyptes salasi, and the sheer size of the beast wasn't entirely surprising. At the time, the Earth — and particularly that area of Peru — was incredibly warm, which would have increased the amount of potential prey the gigantic penguins would have had to feast on.
Not scary enough? The prehistoric remains of another, less tropical penguin have been found in New Zealand. Nordenskjoeld's giant penguin lived about 6 million years ago, stood about 6-and-a half-feet tall, and weighed around 200 pounds.
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