Chicken or Egg: Which Came First?

Journey with us on "I Wonder" as we unravel this classic conundrum of what came first, the chicken or the egg. We've cracked the mystery wide open, revealing that the answer is as scientific as it is philosophical. You’ll discover the twists and turns of almost-chickens and learn how a tiny DNA tweak in an egg gave birth to the very first true chicken. This story goes beyond just chickens and eggs—it's a billion-year-old saga that binds us all.

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Episode Transcript

I Wonder Podcast Host (00:03):
Hey there , curious minds, welcome to
another episode of "I Wonder,the show where we explore the
questions you've been wonderingabout.
Today's question comes fromDylan, who asked "what came
first, the chicken or the egg?
This is one of those questionspeople have been asking for
thousands of years and it mightseem like there's no clear

(00:25):
answer, but guess what?
Scientists and philosophershave actually studied this and
they think they've solved it.
Let's crack open this mysterytogether.
You might have heard argumentsfor both sides.

(00:48):
Some people say the chicken hadto come first, because you need
a chicken to lay an egg.
Others argue that the egg mustcome first, because chickens
hatch from eggs.
It's a tricky question, butscience gives us a fascinating
answer.
To figure this out, scientistssay we need to think about

(01:08):
evolution.
A long, long time ago, millionsof years before chickens existed
, there were birds that werealmost chickens, but not quite.
These birds laid eggs too, buttheir eggs were a little
different from what we see today.
Over time, tiny changeshappened in the DNA of these

(01:31):
birds, like nature slowlytweaking the recipe.
Eventually, one of thesealmost-chickens laid an egg that
contained a mutation, a geneticchange, and when that egg
hatched, the very first truechicken emerged.

(01:54):
This means that the egg camefirst.
The chicken that hatched fromit was different enough from its
parents to be called the firstofficial chicken.
This idea is based on researchshared by Professor John
Brookfield, a scientist fromNottingham University.
He explained that the firstchicken would have started as an

(02:15):
embryo inside an egg, whichmeans the egg had to exist
before the chicken.
Another scientist, professorDavid Papineau, added that the
egg was laid by a bird thatwasn't quite a chicken.
So the egg really does win thisdebate.
Here's where things get evenmore interesting.

(02:37):
Scientists have discovered thateggs as a way of reproducing
have been around for over abillion years, long before
chickens, dinosaurs, fish andeven ancient single-celled
organisms used eggs to createthe next generation.
T his means that the egg isn'tjust older than the chicken,

(03:00):
it's older than most of theanimals we know today.
But what makes eggs so special?
Eggs are one of nature's mostsuccessful inventions.
They protect the growing embryo, provide nutrients and allow
animals to reproduce in allkinds of environments.

(03:21):
For example, jellyfish eggsfloat freely in the ocean, while
turtle eggs are tough andleathery to keep predators out.
Even chicken eggs are marvelsof engineering.
The hard shell is made ofcalcium carbonate, which keeps
them safe inside while lettingenough air through tiny pores.

(03:43):
Speaking of chickens, did youknow that they're descended from
dinosaurs?
Some scientists believe thatthe T- rex is a relative of the
chicken.
It's amazing to think that abird scratching around in the
dirt is connected to one ofhistory's fiercest predators.

(04:06):
Chickens are also the mostcommon bird on Earth, with over
25 billion of them living aroundthe world.
That's more chickens thanhumans by a long shot.
Their eggs aren't just white orbrown, depending on the breed.
Some are naturally blue, greenor even speckled.

(04:27):
But wait, there's more.
Chickens aren't just fascinatingcreatures.
They're also a big business.
The global poultry industry isworth hundreds of billions of
dollars each year, with chickenmeat and eggs being some of the
most widely consumed foods inthe world.
Farmers produce millions ofeggs daily to meet demand, and

(04:48):
chicken is a staple in cuisines,from fried chicken in the
United States to chicken curryin India.
So while they might seem likehumble backyard birds, chickens
play a huge role in feeding theworld and driving the economy.
So does this finally settle thedebate.
I t seems pretty clear, the eggcame first.
It wasn't necessarily a chickenegg, but it was an egg that

(05:12):
eventually led to the first truechicken.
And if we zoom out even further, eggs, as a way of reproducing,
existed long before chickensever appeared.
This question might seem simpleat first, but it's really a
great way to learn aboutevolution, nature and how the
tiniest changes can lead tosomething amazing.

(05:42):
Thanks again to Dylan for such afun and thought-provoking
question.
And remember, if you have aquestion you're curious about,
submit it on our website atiwonderpodcast.
com and we might just feature itin our next episode of "I
Wonder.
Until next time, stay curiousand keep wondering.