Scientists believe they've cracked evolution's biggest mystery...what came first the chicken or the egg!
Generations of scholars to schoolchildren have been stumped by the chicken-and-egg question but now researchers have discovered early ancestors of modern birds and reptiles may have given birth to live young.
But a research project has now found that the chicken's earliest reptilian ancestors, dating back millions of years before the dinosaurs evolved, may not have laid eggs as previously thought. Experts there and at Nanjing University say that although the hard-shelled egg has often been seen as one of the greatest innovations in evolution, this research implies extended embryo retention - when the young are retained by the mother for a varying amount of time - actually gave this particular group of animals the ultimate protection.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Type 1 diabetes 'could be stopped in its tracks' after scientists find 'core' development genesKnowing more about genes linked to type 1 diabetes and the exact processes inside the body they control can reveal new insights into how and why type 1 diabetes develops, and where to intervene to stop it PMGallagher1 reports:
Read more »
Scientists build a new vaccine arsenal to eradicate polioDespite some of the most successful international vaccination campaigns in history, the poliovirus continues to circulate around the world, posing a threat of neurological damage and even paralysis to anyone who is not vaccinated.
Read more »
Surf's up, sharks down: Study finds low shark bite risk despite overlapping human-shark activity in Southern CaliforniaSurf's up, sharks down: Study finds low shark bite risk despite overlapping human-shark activity in Southern California Sharks Safety HumanSharkOverlap CoastalResearch California SurfingSafety MarineLife CoastalActivities SharkBehavior PLOSONE
Read more »
Study reveals new insights into human gut-brain connectionA pioneering study conducted by researchers at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, Okla., has made significant strides in understanding the elusive gut-brain connection, a complex relationship that has long puzzled scientists due to the difficulty of accessing the body's interior. The study, 'Parieto-occipital ERP indicators of gut mechanosensation in humans,' appears in Nature Communications.
Read more »