Collecting the cassowary eggs more often results in death
this post was submitted on 20 Apr 2025
653 points (100.0% liked)
Mildly Interesting
21092 readers
52 users here now
This is for strictly mildly interesting material. If it's too interesting, it doesn't belong. If it's not interesting, it doesn't belong.
This is obviously an objective criteria, so the mods are always right. Or maybe mildly right? Ahh.. what do we know?
Just post some stuff and don't spam.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Hands off my eggs.
Or what, you'll cuddle me?
Yes, with my snuggle-talons. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.
Lego my egg-o
My 30 year old ostrich egg.
I'm no Ostrich expert, but I think that egg is defective if it has yet to hatch in 30 years.
You should get a refund
That's one hell of a gestation period.
load more comments
(2 replies)
Fun fact, ostrich eggs are nearing The largest land eggs can physically get, so even the dinosaurs didn't have much bigger eggs.
What's the limiting factor?
If I had to guess it'd be the ability for oxygen to diffuse through the shell and reach the embryo?
I got curious and your assumption is correct for one of the limiting factors.
Here is what I found:
- The shell must be strong enough to support the egg’s weight and protect the embryo, but thin enough for the chick to break through when hatching.
- As size increases, the weight grows cubically (volume), but shell strength only increases quadratically (surface area), so there’s a point where the shell would have to be too thick to hatch from.
- The distance from the shell to the center increases.
- Oxygen diffusion becomes inefficient, and the embryo could suffocate.
- Larger eggs are harder to keep at a uniform temperature.
- Birds incubating the eggs would need to generate and distribute more heat, which is physically demanding.
What's your sources? Begging your pardon, that looks like a perfectly standard GPT answer.
load more comments
(4 replies)
Here is what I found:
- The shell must be strong enough to support the egg’s weight and protect the embryo, but thin enough for the chick to break through when hatching.
- As size increases, the weight grows cubically (volume), but shell strength only increases quadratically (surface area), so there’s a point where the shell would have to be too thick to hatch from.
- The distance from the shell to the center increases.
- Oxygen diffusion becomes inefficient, and the embryo could suffocate.
- Larger eggs are harder to keep at a uniform temperature.
- Birds incubating the eggs would need to generate and distribute more heat, which is physically demanding.
Any info on why both are GREEN? That's unexpected. Camouflage, maybe?
I am not an eggspert but after a quick search it seems many bird eggs are green in colour due to a pigment called biliverdin.
Interestingly verde is green in Spanish.
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(4 replies)
load more comments
(3 replies)
Hmmm...
First thought
That's some strange looking pears, that's for sure.
I too don't know my left from right but the dark green is an emu egg
Turns out you are right! I was just copying the caption, but I’ll fix it.
They are also single frigging cells. Yet, they have nothing on the largest unicellular organisms, size-wise.
wiki
Good grief, just tell us the size. I skimmed the article and is none the wiser.
The biggest single-celled organism in the world is structured in the same way: an aquatic alga called Caulerpa taxifolia, which can grow to 30cm long. https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/creatura-blog/2019/04/this-bizarre-bubble-creature-is-a-single-living-cell/
Wait till you see the Kiwi egg
These ones must be hard-boiled.
Someone gave me an emu egg years ago, and I proudly displayed it for a long time. Then I got cats, and realized quickly that I should put it away.
That green look so green you could probably use the egg as a green screen
Therefore an eggscreen
load more comments
(2 replies)
How do you even get your hands on a cassowary egg and not die a horrible death. Emu’s are chill as long as you’re a guy
The bright one has a natural QR code
Now we need a Kiwi egg and a diagram of each animal next to each other. Absolute legends of a flightless bird.
Rip whoever birthed the sea urchin.
Which one tastes the best?
Put them back mf
The forest was burning, so he rescued them. Now he will put them back, lovingly, on the stove for breakfast for him and his five children.
Those poor eggs.
Out of the fire,
and into the frying pan.
That cassowary egg is moving
Not pictured: The angry cassowary mama just offscreen about to eviscerate this person
extant
omelette
view more: next ›