Scientists have discovered that giant penguins standing taller than a man once roamed the Earth around 40 million years ago.

Newly unearthed fossils found in Antartica confirm the continent as home of the biggest species of penguins ever discovered.

This giant penguin is believed to have been more than six feet in height, which is taller than the average man. It also weighed a solid 250 pounds. 

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Scientists call it Palaeeudyptes klekowskii. 

The fossilized remains of this mega penguin were found by researchers from Argentina's La Plata Museum around a chain of islands, specifically on Seymour island in the Antartic peninsula.

Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche of La Plata Museum believes 10 to14 species of penguins lived harmoniously and thrived along the Antartic coast.

She also discovered that around 40 million years ago, this region was warmer with a climate that closely resembled the islands at the southern tip of South America.

Hospitaleche also confirms these colossal penguins could stay submerged underwater for longer periods of time, giving it more time to hunt for fish.

The team uncovered two gigantic fossilized bones they dubbed the "colossus penguin." These fossils are also the most complete fossils ever found on Antartic soil.

The fossil site yielded thousands of penguin bones but the colossus penguin was the most complete yet.

The Emperor Penguin, the largest modern species of penguin, only weighs around 100 pounds and measures some 4-1/2 feet in height. This is only half of a colossus penguin's weight and about two-thirds its height.

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