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The Egg-Shaped Mi̇racle
The Egg-Shaped Mi̇racle
Most eggs have one tapered and one wider end to ensure they roll only in
a circular pattern. This ensures that the eggs do not roll out of the nest when they
are turned by the parents. Some species lay eggs with a more pronounced small
end, which make them roll in a tight circle. For example, seabirds like murres nest
strictly on rocky cliffs and use no nest material at all. The elongated shape of their
egg makes it less likely to roll off the cliff edge. Birds that make deep cup-shaped
nests typically have rounder eggs, because there is less risk that the eggs will roll
out of the nest when turned. Natures exquisite engineering continues inside the
egg, too!
The egg itself is a self-contained home, supplying all the nutrients and
safety for the growing chick inside. The duration of incubation varies, but all
chicks will grow until there is so little space inside that it is difficult to move.
When it is time to hatch, the chick has to get into the proper position, with the
head under the right wing and the beak pointed upwards toward the larger end of
the egg (being in the wrong position can be fatal). The large end of the egg has an
air-filled space called the air cell. The chick must use its beak to pierce the air cell
membrane so it can start breathing the air inside. As CO2 builds up in the air cell,
it triggers the yolk sac to retract into the chicks abdominal cavity, getting the bird
ready for life outside the egg. The next step is to break out of the shell.
The beak has a hard, sharp, triangular shaped structure, called an egg
tooth, on the top of the beak that assists in breaking through the eggshell. The
chick uses its legs to rotate as it pecks through the shell until a hole is large
enough to break out of completely. Once outside the shell, the chick can rely on its
yolk sac for energy and nutrients until it is getting enough food from its parents,
or is feeding on its own.
With such a complicated process there are bound to be occasional
problems with completing the incubation and hatching process. But when these
problems arise, we can learn from them and provide helpful feedback for our
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animal care staff, enabling them to make management adjustments that will
maximize the reproductive success of the many amazing species of birds we have
in our care.
What are an Oval and an Egg Curve?
There is no clear definion. Mostly you define:
An oval is a closed plane line, which is like
an ellipse or like the shape of the egg of a hen.
An egg curve only is the border line of a
hen egg. The hen egg is smaller at one end
and has only one symmetry axis.
The oval and the egg shaped curve are convex curves, differentiate twice
and has a positive curvature.
A Gardener's Construction
You can draw an egg curve, if you wrap a rope (green) around an
isosceles triangle and draw with taut rope a closed line (1). The rope must be a
little bit longer than the circumference of the triangle. Elllipse arcs develop, which
together form an egg shaped curve (2).
The three main ellipse are totally drawn in a computer simulation
(2,black, red, blue, book 9). You are exacter, if you draw three more ellipses in the
sector of the vertical angles of the triangle angles to the sides AB, AC und BC
(3,4) .
Super Ellipse
...
t1(x).
KAYNAKLAR
[1] http://www.mathematische-basteleien.de/eggcurves.htm
[2]http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2015/01/06/natures-excellent-engineering-featthe-egg/