Every now and then, the internet serves up a rumor that spreads like wildfire until we’re all repeating it as fact. Case in point: Diplocaulus. Although this creature was a staple of the Permian era pool party, recent stories suggest that Diplocaulus lives on to this day. Sadly, this species is actually long extinct.

However, around 270 million years ago, it had a pretty chill existence in the freshwater marshes of North America. According to palaeontologists, that boomerang-shaped head acted like a hydrofoil, allowing the creature to propel itself forward - but it also served as a bit of a deterrent. See, when you’re a hungry predator, the idea of swallowing a boomerang whole is often enough to put you off and opt for an easier, more normal-shaped meal.