There are two types of boomerang, returning and non-returning. Each boomerang has at least two wings that meet at an angle and spin on a central point. The earliest boomerangs date back more than 20,000 years.

Originally released by Smithsonian Media, 2014. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on March 10, 2015.

How Do Boomerangs Work?: Ask Smithsonian (1:00); .