Which Came First: The Chicken or the Egg? The discovery of a special protein that can only form in the ovaries of hens has helped scientists answer this age-old question that has puzzled philosophers and scientists for millennia.
The Chicken Came First
The age-old question has finally been resolved. (Image: Vegansoapbox.com.)
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This question has remained a mystery for centuries among philosophers and scientists worldwide. However, recent research from scientists in the United Kingdom claims to have found the definitive answer.
According to researchers from the land of fog, the answer is the chicken.
Scientists discovered a crucial protein that makes up the eggshell, which is only found in the ovaries of hens.
This means that before an egg can come into existence, it must be inside the chicken.
This special protein is called ovocleidin-17, or OC-17, which acts as a catalyst to accelerate the development of the eggshell. This hard shell serves as a sturdy home for the egg white while protecting the developing chicks inside.
Researchers from the Universities of Sheffield and Warwick in the UK utilized a powerful computer known as HECToR to magnify the structure of an egg. HECToR revealed that OC-17 is a key component in the formation of the eggshell.
This protein transforms calcium carbonate into calcite crystals, the material that makes up the eggshell.
While calcite is commonly found in eggs and animal bones, chickens can produce this substance more rapidly than other species. On average, a hen can generate 6 grams of calcite in its eggshell every 24 hours.
Dr. Colin Freeman from the University of Sheffield stated, “For a long time, many people believed that the egg came first. However, we now have scientific evidence to confirm that, in fact, the chicken came before the egg.”
Professor John Harding, also from the University of Sheffield, mentioned that this discovery could have numerous other applications. “Understanding how chickens produce eggs is not only an intriguing scientific question but could also provide ideas for creating new materials and processes.”
“Nature has found creative solutions to all problems related to science and material engineering. We can learn a lot from that,” Professor Harding added.
