Philosopher, scientist, farmer crack chicken-egg question

**AlwayzMarel** · 05-26-2006, 10:15 AM

Philosopher, scientist, farmer crack chicken-egg question Thu May 25, 7:42 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Which came first, the chicken or the egg? According to a scientist, a philosopher and a chicken farmer, it was the egg, British newspapers reported.

The key to the age-old question apparently lies in the fact that since genetic material does not change throughout an animal's life, the first bird that evolved into a chicken must have initially existed as an embryo inside an egg.

Professor John Brookfield, from England's University of Nottingham, concluded that because of this, the living organism inside the eggshell would have had the same DNA as the chicken it turned into.

The specialist in evolutionary genetics was quoted in a number of newspapers as saying: "Therefore the first living thing which we could say unequivocally was a member of the species would be this first egg. The egg came first."

Brookfield's conclusion was backed up by Professor David Papineau, of King's College, London, and the chairman of the trade body Great British Chicken, Charles Bourns.

Papineau, an expert in the philosophy of science, argued that the first chicken must have emerged from an egg even though it was laid by a different species of bird, but it was still a chicken egg because it had a chicken in it.

"The conclusion therefore must be that the egg came first and the chicken afterwards," he stated.

Bourns' methodology was not explained in The Times, the Daily Mail and the Independent, who all carried the story.

"Eggs were around long before the first chicken arrived," he affirmed.

WTF, The question we have all pondered? lol

**BigJon** · 05-26-2006, 10:24 AM

I think I get it...but it's so stupid....

Bird lays "mutant" egg which turns out to be what we now call a chicken.

But now here's a new question...which came first...the bird who layed the chicken egg, or the egg that hatched the bird?

**starkiis** · 05-26-2006, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by BigJon

I think I get it...but it's so stupid....

Bird lays "mutant" egg which turns out to be what we now call a chicken.

But now here's a new question...which came first...the bird who layed the chicken egg, or the egg that hatched the bird?

Both came first

**Lolita** · 05-26-2006, 10:48 AM

You know, I'm actually glad that got settled. There are too many questions out there that I'd love to have the answers to.

Now on to "would a tree make a sound if no one was there to hear it?"

**starkiis** · 05-26-2006, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Lolita

You know, I'm actually glad that got settled. There are too many questions out there that I'd love to have the answers to.

Now on to "would a tree make a sound if no one was there to hear it?"

I'm sure they would but I wouldn't want to be there

**DarkFury** · 05-26-2006, 11:08 AM

An egg was spat out of the primordial goo... and became an animal. This animal eventually laid more eggs and hatched more animals and over time these animals evolved into what we know now as a chicken.

Now.. lets stop talkin' about chickens and eggs and get to eatin' 'em....