What Came First, The egg or the chicken? An ancient unicellular says egg
A study from the University of Geneva reveals that Chromosphaera perkinsii exhibits multicellular development similar to early animal embryos, suggesting genetic mechanisms for multicellularity existed before animals.
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A recent study from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has revealed that the unicellular organism Chromosphaera perkinsii exhibits cell division patterns similar to those seen in early animal embryonic development. This organism, discovered in 2017 in Hawaiian marine sediments, dates back over a billion years, predating the first animals. Researchers observed that C. perkinsii forms multicellular structures that persist for a significant portion of their life cycle and consist of at least two distinct cell types. This behavior suggests that the genetic mechanisms for multicellular coordination and differentiation were present long before the emergence of animals. The study indicates that either embryonic development principles existed prior to animals or that C. perkinsii evolved these mechanisms independently. The findings challenge traditional views on the evolution of multicellularity and may provide insights into ancient fossils resembling embryos. The research, led by Omaya Dudin, highlights the evolutionary significance of C. perkinsii in understanding the transition from unicellular to multicellular life.
- Chromosphaera perkinsii shows multicellular development akin to early animal embryos.
- The organism dates back over a billion years, predating the first animals.
- Genetic programs for multicellularity may have existed before animal life.
- The study challenges traditional views on the evolution of multicellularity.
- Findings could provide insights into ancient fossils resembling embryos.
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14 commentsEdit: folks, there actually is some interesting science here if you can avoid getting hung up on the silly title.
Hindu Mythology: Universe emerged from a "cosmic egg" (Brahmanda).
Greek Mythology: Orphic tradition describes a universe hatching from an egg.
Chinese Mythology: Pangu broke out of a cosmic egg, creating heavens and earth.
Big Bang Theory: Universe began from a dense, hot "singularity," conceptually like a cosmic egg.
Symbolic Parallel: Egg symbolizes unity and potential, akin to the universe's origin.
What's a chicken?
This is a reminder, however, that the questions we ask are very powerful framing devices that can constrain or liberate our thinking.
As per theory of evolution, current species were created from ancestor species. Since chicken's ancestor species obviously laid eggs. It stands to reason that first chicken came from chicken egg which came from non-chicken!
So, egg came first.
Update: fixed typo
But if you're on the strict interpretation, the change was so gradual over so many generations it's hard if not impossible to detect. Even when it speciates (becomes unable to produce viable offspring after mating) is hard to tell. There was like likely a long stretch of many generations where sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.
TL:DR; How long is a piece of string?
edit: Variation of the same question: Were there radio waves before there radios? Jupiter and thunderstorms produce them, but we had no way of knowing so to us they did not exist.
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