Measurement of the neutral axis in avian eggshells reveals which species conform to the golden ratio.

ABSTRACT: Avian eggs represent a striking evolutionary adaptation for which shell thickness is crucial. An understudied eggshell property includes the neutral axis, a line that is drawn through any bent structure and whose precise location is characterized by the k-factor. Previous studies have established that, for chicken eggs, mean k corresponds to the golden ratio (Φ = 1.618, or 0.618 in its reciprocal form). We hypothesized whether such an arrangement of the neutral axis conforms to the eggshell of any bird or only to eggshells with a certain set of geometric parameters. Implementing a suite of innovative methodological approaches, we investigated variations in k of 435 avian species, exploring which correspond to Φ. We found that mean k is highly variable among birds and does not always confor

SUBMITTER: Narushin VG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9826523 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature