this post was submitted on 20 Apr 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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[–] Kalladblog@lemmy.world 2 points 22 hours ago

They both look like avocados to me

[–] Prime_Minister_Keyes@lemm.ee 24 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

They are also single frigging cells. Yet, they have nothing on the largest unicellular organisms, size-wise.

[–] smee@poeng.link 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

wiki

Good grief, just tell us the size. I skimmed the article and is none the wiser.

[–] Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago

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/

[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 41 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] smee@poeng.link 3 points 1 day ago

That's some strange looking pears, that's for sure.

[–] wabafee@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

First thought

[–] stupidcasey@lemmy.world 40 points 2 days ago (5 children)

Fun fact, ostrich eggs are nearing The largest land eggs can physically get, so even the dinosaurs didn't have much bigger eggs.

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 13 points 2 days ago (2 children)

What's the limiting factor?

[–] CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If I had to guess it'd be the ability for oxygen to diffuse through the shell and reach the embryo?

[–] dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de 41 points 2 days ago (6 children)

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.
[–] milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee 5 points 1 day ago

What's your sources? Begging your pardon, that looks like a perfectly standard GPT answer.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Didn't think I would find egg facts so interesting... Cool!

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[–] dependencyinjection@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 2 days ago (7 children)

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.
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[–] twice_hatch@midwest.social 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Tell me about whale eggs? 😯

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[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 45 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (5 children)

My 30 year old ostrich egg.

[–] SmackemWittadic@lemmy.world 39 points 2 days ago

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

[–] ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago

That's one hell of a gestation period.

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I didn't know ostriches lived that long.

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[–] HappySkullsplitter@lemmy.world 56 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Collecting the cassowary eggs more often results in death

[–] CuddlyCassowary@lemmy.world 41 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 24 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Or what, you'll cuddle me?

[–] CuddlyCassowary@lemmy.world 34 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yes, with my snuggle-talons. It’s a once in a lifetime experience.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oh. I thought we were gonna make more eggs

[–] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 1 day ago
[–] Rooskie91@discuss.online 16 points 2 days ago

Lego my egg-o

[–] Yokozuna@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Now we need a Kiwi egg and a diagram of each animal next to each other. Absolute legends of a flightless bird.

[–] CurlyWurlies4All@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Lemmynated@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 day ago

Rip whoever birthed the sea urchin.

[–] lunachocken@lemm.ee 11 points 2 days ago (2 children)

That green look so green you could probably use the egg as a green screen

Therefore an eggscreen

[–] Illegalmexicant@lemmy.world 26 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I too don't know my left from right but the dark green is an emu egg

[–] ickplant@lemmy.world 19 points 2 days ago

Turns out you are right! I was just copying the caption, but I’ll fix it.

[–] UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works 23 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Wait till you see the Kiwi egg

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 50 points 2 days ago (1 children)

These ones must be hard-boiled.

[–] jaemo@sh.itjust.works 39 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Used to be my favorite t-shirt...

[–] amzd@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] milicent_bystandr@lemm.ee 7 points 1 day ago

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.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 13 points 2 days ago

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.

[–] helvetpuli@sopuli.xyz 4 points 2 days ago
[–] twice_hatch@midwest.social 8 points 2 days ago

The bright one has a natural QR code

[–] duhbasser@lemm.ee 11 points 2 days ago

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

[–] reactionality@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 2 days ago
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