Luis trained as a zoologist, but now works as a science and technology educator. The jury is still out over whether the chicken or egg came first. It’s a mystery as old astime: do you need an egg to hatch the first chicken, or do you need a chicken to lay the first egg? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Charles Darwin • UK (1809-1882) • First to have a justifiable theory of evolution • On the origin of species (1859) 3. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which Came First, The Chicken or The Egg? These scientists used a super computer to apply a computing tool known called metadynamics to ‘zoom’ in on the egg as it forms. Another literal answer is that "the egg" in general came first, because egg-laying species pre-date the existence of chickens. The egg, as obviously an egg containing a chicken had to come before the first chicken. This one isn’t as clear. Are We Entering the Sixth Major Extinction on Earth? That answer is also true— the egg comes first —when you narrow it down to chickens and the specific eggs from which they emerge. Eggs came after chickens… and that’s a fact. Yet by logic, then that AC came before the egg. Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts. The answer to this lies in abiogenesis, which challenges the very definition of life itself. They weren’t chicken’s eggs, but they were still eggs. Lions are brave. Prior to that first true chicken zygote, there were only non-chickens. For the cynics of evolution, this conundrum is used to illustrate the predicament of the first cause. The oldest evidence I know of for sexual reproduction with anisogamy (i.e. Eggs came after chickens… and that’s a fact. So the egg came first. For more information about how to do this, and how Immediate Media Company Limited (publisher of Science Focus) holds your personal information, please see our privacy policy. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? well i could say the egg came first but it was supposed to hatch into a dinosaur but G0d said NO! There was no first egg. 1 0. Evolutionists assert that birds evolved from reptiles over millions of years, so the reptiles eventually laid the egg that hatched as a chicken. Why you’re stroking your cat completely wrong (and how to do it right). If every animal is evolved from an earlier animal, how did the whole process start? As educators we should strive to inform our students, challenge their assumptions, and enlighten their minds. What came first the chicken or the egg? Our daily newsletter arrives just in time for lunch, offering up the day's biggest science news, our latest features, amazing Q&As and insightful interviews. Chickens come from eggs, and eggs come from chickens—how can one come before the other? Others have argued that chickens obviously came first, as eggs are laid by chickens. The chicken, no, the egg, no, the chicken, no, the egg. Evolution would have to say it was the egg that came first because the modern chicken (MC= Modern Chicken) would have evolved from the ancient pre-historical semi-chicken-like dinosaur (AC= Ancient Chicken). But how would there be an egg if the chicken doesn’t lay it? These scientists used a super computer to apply a computing tool known called metadynamics to ‘zoom’ in on the egg as it forms. In his spare time he builds 3D-printed robots, in the hope that he will be spared when the revolution inevitably comes. It’s a mystery as old astime: do you need an egg to hatch the first chicken, or do you need a chicken to lay the first egg? Look out for your Lunchtime Genius newsletter in your inbox soon. Unless you restate the question as ‘which came first, the chicken or the chicken’s egg?’ Then it very much depends on how you define a chicken’s egg. If you are as confused as we are, then you’re not alone. But turns out dinosaurs were laying bird-like eggs long before chickens roamed Earth. To others, the chicken came first, seeing as chickens are merely domesticated red junglefowls. So, the egg … To others, the chicken came first, seeing as chickens are merely domesticated red junglefowls. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Prior to the first true chicken, there were non-chickens. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Some would say the egg came first; others would say it’s the chicken. covers his face as he sits behind his chickens, 2013. To delve more into this, and get some other interpretations, watch the video below. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. The chicken or the egg causality dilemma is commonly stated as the question, "which came first: the chicken or the egg?" We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. The jury is still out over whether the chicken or egg came first. Back to our original question: with amniotic eggs showing up roughly 340 million or so years ago, and the first chickens evolving at around 58 thousand years ago at the earliest, it’s a safe bet to say the egg came first. This claim came … The chicken or the egg causality dilemma is commonly stated as the question, "which came first: the chicken or the egg? For this to logically make sense, both had to come at the same time. Dinosaurs laid eggs, the fish that first crawled out of the sea laid eggs, and the weird articulated monsters that swam in the warm shallow seas of the Cambrian Period 500 million years ago also laid eggs. Ironically, with this definition, your creationist belief means that the egg came first, since the creature that laid the chicken egg wasn't a chicken (since it wasn't hatched). Thanks! The Chicken Came First: As plausible as Luis Villazon’s explanation sounds, it has been refuted by researchers at the universities of Sheffield and Warwick . Which Came First -- the Chicken or the Egg? What came first Chicken or the Egg? After all, understanding the question based strictly on Genesis, the chicken would come first. Dang, I really thought they would think about this some more. Philosophy science answer wow cool facts So the egg came first. A rooster hatched from the egg, the rooster "kicked it" to the chicken, and they laid more eggs, thus creating more chickens and roosters, and thus today, we have all these chickens … Or is it an egg that a chicken hatches from? Dinosaurs laid eggs, the fish that first crawled out of the sea laid eggs, and the weird articulated monsters that swam in the warm shallow seas of the Cambrian Period 500 million years ago also laid eggs. However, there needs to be an egg for there to be a chicken. Is it possible for chickens to lay eggs in space? Otherwise, the chicken came first and the first chicken’s egg had to wait until the first chicken laid it. So in a nutshell (or an eggshell, if you like), two birds that weren't really chickens created a chicken egg, and hence, we have an answer: The egg came first, and then it hatched a chicken. This is a classic conundrum we’ve heard since childhood. Do crows actually fly in a straight line? The egg, no, the chicken, no, the egg, no, the chicken. June 10, 2017 A chicken breeder in China sits with his chickens. (If Fenton had written to his wife, for example, that he had overseen the scattering of the balls, the question would be laid to rest. Then when you think about it again, it makes sense for the chicken to come first to lay the egg. You can unsubscribe at any time. "What came first, the Chicken or the Egg?" Another literal answer is that "the egg" in general came first, because egg-laying species pre-date the existence of chickens. Chickens are the same species as the red jungle fowl of Southeast Asia, although they were probably hybridised with the grey jungle fowl when they were domesticated 10,000 years ago. But now they believe they have cracked the conundrum of what came first. In the English language, some animals have come to represent human characteristics. This argument fails to attend to the originally posed statement. Listen to some of the brightest names in science and technology talk about the ideas and breakthroughs shaping our world. We've all been through the logic; most of us end up at the same place. Without one single hint of hesitation, my daughter, Erin said, "The Egg!". Is it an egg laid by a chicken? Which came first: a conjecture about the order of the photographs based on Fenton’s (real or imagined) intentions or a specific piece of historical information, for example, something that Fenton had written that revealed the order of he photographs? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Hint: Evolution would have to say it was the egg that came first because the modern chicken (MC= Modern Chicken) would have evolved from the ancient pre-historical semi-chicken-like dinosaur (AC= Ancient Chicken). They further assert that even if chickens evolved from some non-chicken creature, the first chicken did not come from the egg of a chicken—it had to come from a non-chicken egg. What is the average number of legs for an animal? By: Felipe De la Garza Madrigal Personal Project June 5th 2013 2. PLUS a free mini-magazine for you to download and keep. It's the kind of question children ask each other on the playground in a bid to blow minds. They weren’t chicken’s eggs, but they were still eggs. Already have an account with us? Which come first, the chicken or the aig? Many translated example sentences containing "which came first the chicken or the egg" – Spanish-English dictionary and search engine for Spanish translations. The first chicken eggs. What came first the chicken or the egg? By: Felipe De la Garza Madrigal Personal Project June 5th 2013 2. Foxes are tricky. Therefore, the first egg came after the first chicken. It's enough to make your head spin right off your neck. But turns out dinosaurs were laying bird-like eggs long before chickens roamed Earth. However, there needs to be an egg for there to be a chicken. As Luna Lovegood, the dreamy yet dotty witch from Harry Potter put it when asked the riddle, "A circle has no beginning." The chicken did come first but they were not as evolved as they are today. again and mutilated the egg so this time it came out as a full chicken. and mutilated the egg so it came out being half chicken and half dinoseur. Charles Darwin • UK (1809-1882) • First to have a justifiable theory of evolution • On the origin of species (1859) 3. Which come first, the feather or the shell? Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Two issues free when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine. What came first, the chicken or the egg? But now they believe they have cracked the conundrum of what came first. If the chicken or egg did come first, how did they procreate. Which come first, the feather or the shell? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The phrasal verb chicken out has a similar meaning. originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and … Pay by Direct Debit and get two issues free*, Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery. What’s the longest an animal can survive without oxygen? Unless you restate the question as ‘which came first, the chicken or the chicken’s egg?’ Then it very much depends on how you define a chicken’s egg. What came first Chicken or the Egg? June 10, 2017 A chicken breeder in China sits with his chickens. Which Came First -- the Chicken or the Egg? The chicken, no, the egg, no, the chicken, no, the egg. How could somethin' so fat and burly Come from somethin' so smooth and pearly? Chickens come from eggs, and eggs come from chickens—how can one come before the other? But it doesn’t matter; at some point in evolutionary history when there were no chickens, two birds that were almost-but-not-quite chickens mated and laid an egg that hatched into the first chicken. Then when you think about it again, it makes sense for the chicken to come first to lay the egg. Okay, so clearly eggs came first. If you are prepared to call that egg a chicken’s egg, then the egg came first. Image adapted from: Sketching Science (with permission). So the egg definitely came first. Too Much Charisma Can Actually Hurt a Leader's Effectiveness, Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. The zygote cell is the only place where DNA mutations could produce a new animal, and the zygote cell is housed in the chicken's egg. Eggs were around way before chickens even existed. But the answer is Chicken. "The dilemma stems from the observation that all chickens hatch from eggs and all chicken eggs are laid by chickens. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. There are numerous debates and theories on who came first. … Evolutionists assert that birds evolved from reptiles over millions of years, so the reptiles eventually laid the egg that hatched as a chicken. For example, a chicken can describe someone who is scared or afraid. Personally I chose the creation theory because most life forms are too complicated and possess intricate details to be explained by just the big bang theory. The Chicken Came First: As plausible as Luis Villazon’s explanation sounds, it has been refuted by researchers at the universities of Sheffield and Warwick . The DNA changes came about in cells housed in the egg. In time, this offspring's offspring would diverge enough for speciation, but since the proto-hen produced the egg the chicken was born from, we can safety say the egg came first. The dilemma stems from the observation that all chickens hatch from eggs and all chicken eggs are laid by chickens. By clicking “sign up” you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. Two issues free when you subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine. But ASAP science refines the question. The chicken came first. That is when my child solved the mystery. It's enough to create your head spin right off your neck. covers his face as he sits behind his chickens, 2013. I will never ponder this thought again without remembering these words. As with other questions, worldview dictates your answer. That one zygote cell divided to produce the first true chicken. How the chicken got here to begin with can be answered based on the 'creation theory' or the 'big bang theory'. In nature, living things evolve through changes in their DNA. As with other questions, worldview dictates your answer. "Duh, Mommy!" That is, two non-chickens mated and the DNA in their new zygote contained the mutation(s) that produced the first true chicken. Occasionally educators may fall into the trap of overusing certain inaccurate popular phrases or expressions. To delve more into this, and get some other interpretations, watch the video below. They ask: what came first, the chicken or the chicken egg. The age-old riddle has finally been settled. If you are as confused as we are, then you’re not alone. So the egg definitely came first. If I define a chicken, in part, as something that is hatched from an egg, then my definition of chicken means the egg came first. But what brought that? Yet by logic, then that AC came before the egg. French retailer U Shops attempts to answer the age-old question with campaign from TBWA/Paris. These sacred texts mainly preach that each animal was created at the beginning of the world, meaning that the chicken did not come from the egg, but from nothing. Which come first, the chicken or the aig? Some would say the egg came first; others would say it’s the chicken. As presented, the question is … But wait—weren’t there some scientists who claimed that, in fact, the chicken came first? In nature, living things evolve through changes in their DNA. Discover our latest special editions covering a range of fascinating topics from the latest scientific discoveries to the big ideas explained. A Foul Metaphor for Teaching Randy Garner Sam Houston State University ICC_RLG@exchange.shsu.edu Abstract. the next time the chicken/dinoseur layed it's egg, God said NO! The egg carries the genes of the chicken and therefore have to be created from the chicken. Which came initial, the chicken or the egg? The chicken or the egg causality dilemma is commonly stated as "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Which Came First -- the Chicken or the Egg? Then there are chickens. And elephants are loyal, just to name a few. Prior to the first true chicken, there were non-chickens. As Luna Lovegood, the dreamy yet dotty witch from Harry Potter put it when asked the riddle, "A circle has no beginning." It's enough to make your head spin right off your neck. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2021 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. Eggs are much older than chickens. We've all been through the logic; most folks find yourself at a similar place. I remember an aunt writing a radio drama which included the question, “Which came first, the chickpea or the eggplant?” :-) The question, “Which came first, DNA or protein?” lead to the formulation of the RNA World Hypothesis. But how would there be an egg if the chicken doesn’t lay it? How can an egg carton claim that the contained eggs have less fat and more vitamin E? But what brought that? The egg, as obviously an egg containing a chicken had to come before the first chicken. Before the work of Darwin, Mendel and others, the answer to this question was mostly derived from religious texts. Why do eggs turn hard when you boil them? One popular theory is the Proto-Chicken Theory. We've all been through the logic; most of us end up at the same place. How many species have yet to be discovered? What came first, the chicken or the egg? To define life, we presently go about describing it as a self-sustaining, self-contained grouping of one or more cells—which are in turn generated by other, earlier ce… An older dinosaur most likely. When you see one egg or t'other, Do you ever think about its mother? There was no first chicken. What was the life expectancy of a dinosaur? "Chicken-and-egg" is a metaphoric adjective describing situations where it is not clear which of two events should be considered the cause and which should be considered the effect, to express a scenario of infinite regress, or to express the difficulty of sequencing actions wh… So I prodded and asked, "Why do you think it is the egg?" We could arbitrarily draw the line anywhere we wanted to, summarily deeming that this is the first chicken or the first egg. Is it an egg laid by a chicken? The DNA changes came about in cells housed in the egg. Method: I mailed the chicken and the egg, each in its own separate packaging, and kept careful track of when each shipment was sent from a post office in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and when it subsequently arrived at its intended destination in New York City. Does the chicken's body make the shell and fill it with the white and yolk somehow, or does it make the white and yolk and then somehow wrap the shell around it?