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

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.