Answers of scientists: Chicken before eggs!

Is the chicken first or the egg first? The discovery of a particular type of protein that can only form in the ovaries of hens on eggshell has helped scientists answer questions that haven't been answered in thousands of years.

Chicken before eggs

The last question has a solution.(Photo: Vegansoapbox.com.)

Is the chicken before an egg or egg born before a chicken? For centuries, this question remains a mystery to philosophers as well as scientists around the world. However, British scientists have recently confirmed that they have found the final answer to this conundrum.

And the answer, according to the misty scientists, is the chicken.

Scientists found an important protein that makes chicken eggshell but is found only in the ovaries of hens.

It also means that, before being in reality, the egg must be inside the chicken.

This particular protein is called ovocledidin-17 , or OC-17, which acts as a catalyst to accelerate the development of eggshell. This hard shell is a sure house for egg yolk and protects chicks when they grow up inside.

Scientists from Sheffield and Warwick universities have used a powerful computer called HECToR to enlarge the structure of an egg. HECToR has discovered that the OC-17 is a crucial component in forming eggshells.

It is this protein that turns calcium carbonate into calcite crystals, the material that makes the eggshell.

Although calcite is found quite a lot in animal eggs and bones, chickens can form this substance faster than other species. On average, every hen can produce 6 grams of calcite every 24 hours in an eggshell.

Dr. Colin Freeman, of the University of Sheffield said: 'For a long time many people thought that eggs were first. However, we now have scientific evidence to confirm that, in fact, the chicken is in front of the egg '.

Professor John Harding, also from the University of Sheffield, said the discovery could have many other applications."Understanding how chickens make eggs is not only an interesting problem but can also provide ideas for creating new materials and processes."

" Nature has found creative solutions to solve all material science and engineering problems. We can learn a lot from that," Professor Harding said.