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A theory endorsed by both Bill Nye the Science Guy and Neil deGrasse Tyson , evolution is on the side of the egg as coming before the chicken. This is because there was once a proto-chicken — a bird resembling a chicken, but not quite of chicken status — that went about its business laying and fertilizing an egg.
In the case of broilers, there is no sex selection: Or are scientists and philosophers still scrambling to find an answer? The hagfish is a slime-emitting ocean-dweller that's remained unchanged for million years--and it shows. From it hatched the first bird, the evolutionary descendant of reptile. Another way to look at the question would be to ask which came first in evolutionary history. The ancestors of crocodiles gave rise to dinosaurs and later on, birds. For instance, a look at our nutritional regimen, where eggs and chickens play their most dominant role in our lives, provides a clear answer:
However, this egg carried some sort of genetic mutation that turned it into the chicken we have now come to know and love. In addition, eggs of other birds predated chickens by millions of years, and there are fossils to prove it.
So, in comparison to other types of birds, chickens came rather late to the evolutionary party. The recent advent of genetically modified chicken eggs suggests that in matters of science and medicine, eggs precede the chicken. Not intended for consumption, these eggs have been genetically engineered and contain a protein that plays a key role in fighting diseases like cancer, hepatitis and other immune-related illnesses.
Japanese researchers have discovered a complex process to fertilize eggs that, long story short, produce male chicks that are crossbred with females to lay eggs containing the protein-producing cancer-fighting genes.
The result, stemming solely from the egg, is expected to significantly reduce medicine production costs. This goes to show than when humans recreate nature, they have to start with the egg.
Back to our original question: This claim came from some researchers studying how chicken eggshells form. Hens get their supply of calcium for eggshell production from dietary sources calcium-rich seafood shells, such as oyster or prawn shells, are a popular snack for backyard hens for this reason. One such protein, called ovocleidin or OC for short , is only found in the ovary of a chicken, leading to the suggestion that the chicken must have come before the chicken egg, since without OC, there can be no chicken egg formation.
Interestingly, it seems that this protein is responsible for speeding up the rate of eggshell formation, enabling hens to build an egg from scratch and lay it within a hour timeframe.
So, can we lay this age-old conundrum to rest? Or are scientists and philosophers still scrambling to find an answer?
At the end of the day, the question is something of a false dichotomy. Home Everything else Which came first: Science can help us find the answer. The first eggs Eggs are found throughout the animal kingdom.
Eggs of all shapes and sizes exist throughout the animal kingdom. You just joined millions of people that love getting smarter every day. Your first email will arrive shortly.
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And the Winner Is Playing Deviled Eggs' Advocate.
Written by Reuben Westmaas August 10, Wake up with the smartest email in your inbox. Our Best Articles Daily.