Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Scientists FINALLY settle the debate. But there's a TWIST!
By Shweta Kumari | First Published Oct 12, 2024, 2:38 PM ISTAs World Egg Day approaches, MailOnline sought answers from leading evolutionary experts to crack this age-old enigma. While it might seem straightforward—after all, eggs evolved millions of years before chickens—it turns out that the answer is not quite so simple.
Since the dawn of civilization, one burning question has perplexed the greatest minds in history: Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
As World Egg Day approaches, MailOnline sought answers from leading evolutionary experts to crack this age-old enigma. While it might seem straightforward—after all, eggs evolved millions of years before chickens—it turns out that the answer is not quite so simple.
Latest Videos
Evolution's Game-Changer: The Egg
Eggs have been a fundamental part of life on Earth for eons, predating almost every living species. Except for mammals, nearly all animals reproduce through egg-laying. Jules Howard, a zoology correspondent and author of Infinite Life, shared with MailOnline: "Eggs are the 'go-to' way for evolution to send genetic lines forward in time."
The story of the egg begins at the dawn of life itself. Before eggs existed, reproduction was a mere act of cloning, resulting in identical organisms, highly vulnerable to diseases and parasites. The advent of eggs, as Howard explains, allowed for sexual reproduction, making way for genetically unique individuals. "Without sex, and by extension eggs, we think it's likely that individuals become ravaged by viruses meaning they more often die out," he said.
The first eggs were far removed from the hard-shelled objects we now crack open for breakfast. Instead, these primitive vessels, dating back 600 million years, were tiny and fragile, floating through prehistoric oceans like milky clouds. "These were eggs that blew through oceans, as if in milky clouds. There were no nests," Mr. Howard described.
From jellyfish-like creatures to reptiles, eggs evolved and spread across the Earth. It was only much later that birds, including chickens, entered the scene.
Enter the Chicken: A Tale of Domestication
The first domestic chickens, as we know them today, descended from a wild bird species known as the red jungle fowl, or Gallus gallus. These birds, which evolved around 50 million years ago, began to adapt to human activity as ancient civilizations started clearing forests for agriculture. Over time, some of these wild birds evolved into what we now call chickens.
Although previously believed to have emerged around 10,000 years ago, more recent studies suggest that chickens were domesticated between 1650 BC and 1250 BC, making them relative newcomers in evolutionary history—just about 3,500 years old. Dr. Ellen Mather, a paleontologist from Flinders University, noted: "If you frame it as referring to eggs as a whole, then the answer is most definitely eggs."
Dinosaurs, Eggs, and Evolution's Timeline
When tracing the origins of the egg, one must look back millions of years—to the age of dinosaurs. The first hard-shelled eggs, much like those we see today, were laid by reptiles during the Early Jurassic period. Fossils from 195 million years ago reveal that creatures like the long-necked sauropods laid eggs in large nests, just as many bird species do today.
While chickens have been around for a few thousand years, the egg—at least in some form—has existed for hundreds of millions of years. Dr. Mather explained, "The first eggs laid on land would have come much later during the Carboniferous, between 358 to 298 million years ago, laid by early reptiles."
Chicken or Chicken Egg: The Final Word
Even though it may seem the egg's victory is assured, Dr. Mather suggests that the debate isn't so black and white. "Depending on how you interpret the question, both answers could be correct," she says. If we ask about the origin of the chicken egg specifically, the narrative changes.
The first true chickens likely hatched from eggs laid by their wild relatives, the red jungle fowl, at a point when the evolutionary transformation was complete. Thus, Dr. Mather concludes, "If the question is interpreted as referring to chicken eggs, then the answer would be a chicken."
So, in the end, it seems that both the egg—and the chicken—deserve their place in the evolutionary spotlight. Whether you side with the dinosaurs or domestication, one thing is clear: the debate, like the egg, will continue to fascinate for generations to come.
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here. For more reliable and latest news
subscribe to Asianet Newsable Telegram channel by clicking here.