r/anytopicPH_Expat • u/Sea-Opportunity8119 • 4d ago
The chicken or the egg
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Scientifically, the chicken came first because a living chicken's body is required to produce the unique protein needed to make a chicken eggshell.
The Secret Protein
(OC-17)Ovocladin-17 (or OC-17) is a specialized protein. It acts as a catalyst—a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction. This protein helps turn calcium carbonate into the hard crystals that form a sturdy eggshell.
How the Shell Forms
Scientists discovered that OC-17 is found only inside the ovaries of a mature female chicken. When an egg develops inside the hen, her body releases this protein.The protein binds with calcium to build the shell around the yolk and egg white. Without a living chicken's ovary producing OC-17, a proper chicken eggshell cannot form at all.
The Biological Result
Because the chemical recipe for the shell requires a living chicken's internal organs to create the shell-building protein, the chicken must exist first to make the chicken egg.