Egg vs Chicken: Evolutionary science reveals what came first

The old-age question, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” has intrigued people for centuries. While a clear answer has eluded many, evolutionary science provides a compelling viewpoint. Scientists assert that eggs existed millions of years prior to the emergence of chickens. Jules Howard, a zoology reporter and author of Infinite Life, emphasizes that the first egg is intricately connected to the origins of life itself.

Eggs have played a vital role in the survival of numerous species, serving as life-supporting capsules that promote genetic diversity. Scientists suggest that the earliest eggs were quite different from modern ones, likely produced by marine organisms such as jellyfish or worms. This indicates that eggs existed long before animals adapted to life on land, reinforcing the idea that the egg predates the chicken.

Dr. Ellen Mather, a paleontologist at Flinders University, supports the notion that eggs came first, noting that chickens evolved much later. She explains that chickens are believed to have descended from wild birds that adapted to living in proximity to humans, which ultimately led to their domestication.

While early researchers estimated that chickens were domesticated around 10,000 years ago, recent studies indicate that domestication likely occurred between 1250 BC and 1650 BC in Southeast Asia, suggesting that the age of the chicken is approximately 3,500 years. In contrast, eggs, especially those with hard shells, have been around for millions of years, with the first hard-shelled eggs being laid by dinosaurs during the Jurassic period.

From an evolutionary perspective, it is clear that eggs preceded chickens. Dr. Mather points out that when considering the traditional question of whether the chicken or its egg came first, the answer shifts. The first true chicken is believed to have hatched from an egg laid by a bird that was not a true chicken, specifically the red jungle fowl. Therefore, while the egg evolved first, the chicken itself predates the true ‘chicken egg.’