British researchers may have uncovered a partial answer to the age-old question, “what came first the chicken or the egg?”

According to a team, comprising researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of Sheffield, the answer is “chicken” or at least a particular chicken protein.

There is, however, a further twist – this particular chicken protein turns out to come both first and last. That neat trick it performs provides new insights into control of crystal growth which is key to egg shell production.