The Chicken and the Egg Question – Ancient Mystery Finally Solved

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 http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/07/14/the-chicken-and-the-egg-ancient-mystery-solved/