REUTERS/Jamal Saidi
Philosophers and fertility experts can rest easy as the age-old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” finally has an answer: The chicken.
The research comes from British scientists out of Sheffield and Warwick universities. It all boils down to one protein—ovocledidin-17 (OC-17)—that is only found inside a chicken’s ovaries, and is essential for eggshell formation.
Although the protein has been studied as part of eggshell development before, researchers used a super computer to ‘zoom-in’ while a shell was forming, and found that it actually serves as a catalyst. Sheffield Professor John Harding hopes that this will aid in designing new materials.
Well, that’s one mystery solved. But still no word yet on the meaning of life. (via CBS News)