Why do boomerangs come back?
For grown-ups: the science
A spinning boomerang's wing-shaped arms get uneven pushes from the air, making it curve back.
A returning boomerang has airfoil-shaped arms. During forward flight, the advancing arm has a higher airspeed than the retreating arm, creating unequal aerodynamic lift. Gyroscopic precession turns this uneven torque into a gradual change in the boomerang's flight direction. Its return also depends on its shape, spin, tilt, wind, and a skillful throw.
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Transcript
A curved boomerang spins through the sunny air. How can it turn around and come back?
A returning boomerang has two arms shaped a little like airplane wings. As it spins, air pushes on those arms.
The top arm moves faster through the air than the bottom arm. That faster arm gets a stronger push upward.
Because it is spinning, that uneven push makes the boomerang slowly turn sideways. Its curved path can bring it back near the thrower.
So, a spinning boomerang turns because air pushes more on one arm. With a careful throw, it can curve back!