The only almost completely intact Genyornis eggshell ever discovered. It was located by N. Spooner and collected by Gifford H. Miller, South Australia. The presence of four puncture wounds on the egg indicates that it was predated by a scavenging marsupial. Credit: Gifford H. MillerA years-long scientific controversy in Australia about what animal is the true mother of gigantic primordial eggs has been settled.
According to a recent study by experts from the University of Copenhagen and an international team of colleagues, the flightless bird lay eggs the size of cantaloupe melons, presumably to the delight of ancient humans who most likely gathered and consumed them as an essential protein source. The research was just released in the journalSince experts initially found the 50,000-year-old eggshell pieces 40 years ago, the huge eggs have been the subject of debate.
To the right is an emu-egg and to the left is the egg, which the researchers believe originates from the Demon Duck of Doom,. The latter egg weighs about 1.5 kilograms which is more than 20 times the weight of an average chicken egg. Credit: Trevor WorthyIn sand dunes in the southern Australian towns of Wallaroo and Woodpoint, the scientists examined the proteins from eggshells.
In Jurassic Park they extracted the DNA from an insect encased in amber to recreate the dinosaur. . . imagine what they would get from the egg embryo.
From this article (200 kgs = more than 400lbs):