Egg or Chicken: Which One Came First?

The question “which came first, the egg or the chicken?” is probably the oldest riddle still going strong today. More durable than long-distance relationships, more hotly debated than parking rules. From the dining table to lecture halls, from kopi tiam to philosophy podcasts, this question somehow always manage to break people’s focus.

Let’s dissect it—serious, but relax one.

Kopi Tiam Version: Chicken First, Obviously!
The classic argument very simple: if no chicken, who lay the egg? Logic straight like expressway. Chicken lay egg, full stop. Egg without chicken is nonsense, like instant noodles without water.

Usually this argument ends with one sip of kopi and a victory smile, lor.

Scientist Version: Egg First, But Not Chicken Egg
Now things start to change mood already. Scientists come in carrying Darwin’s magic word: Evolution.

According to science, there was once a creature similar to chicken—let’s call it “proto-chicken.” One day, because of a small genetic mutation (probably happen without asking anyone), it laid an egg that hatched into what we now officially call a modern chicken. Meaning, the egg that produced the first chicken already existed before the chicken itself.

So egg first. But upgraded version.

Chemistry Version: Egg White Older Than Chicken
Research also found a protein called ovocleidin-17—important for forming eggshell—produced by chickens. But the egg structure as an embryo container already existed long before chickens evolved.

In other words, chicken is the newcomer. Egg already renting space on this planet for very long time.

Philosophy Version: Don’t Ask, Just Enjoy
Philosophers since Aristotle time already headache over this. For philosophy, egg-and-chicken question not about timeline, but about cause and effect. Both need each other, create each other, and also blame each other.

Very similar to humans and deadlines.

Religion Version: Everything Already Arranged
From a faith perspective, this question often seen as simple: God created everything according to His will. Chicken exists because it was created, egg exists because chicken was created. Order not the main issue—faith is.

Discussion usually ends peacefully… until someone itchy mouth and ask again.

So, which came first, the egg or the chicken?
The most honest answer is: the question is older than the answer.

One thing for sure—without chicken and egg, we wouldn’t have nasi goreng, martabak, or telur balado. And that would be far more tragic than this debate, sia. ***