Facts
I Wonder Why – Why The Egg Is Oval In Shape?
Shapes

Why is an egg-shaped the way it is?
● Some say eggs are egg-shaped because this shape adds to their strength. But if
it was so simple; all eggs should have been of a spherical shape yet pigeons
and diving birds lay eggs that are the point at both ends.
● According to a mathematician named Dr. Tamas Szekely, the explanation for the
egg-shaped lies in the number of eggs a bird species lay.
● He found that eggs fit together quite snugly in the nest, with only small air spaces
between them. This means the eggs radiate their heat onto each other, and keep
each other warm. And of course, you can fit more eggs into the nest.
● Some shorebirds like plovers typically lay approximately four eggs that are
pointy shaped. Because of their shape, the eggs can have a larger shape to
occupy the space.
● On the other hand, ostriches lay just one egg, and a spherical shape is best for
them.
● The eggs of guillemots are pear-shaped. This may be because guillemots make
their nests on cliff faces, and pear-shaped eggs don’t roll in a straight line, and
are less likely to roll over the edge.