Fish egg 'miracle' needs cracking

Biologists at the University of Manchester want help in cracking their "miracle" discovery of three fish inside a sealed egg.

The group found the duck egg in a small pond on a field trip to the French Alps and noticed something moving inside it.



When they cracked open the shell, three live minnows were inside.

Dr Matthew Cobb, a lecturer in animal behaviour at the university, said: "As 21st century scientists rather than 17th century antiquarians we think it's unlikely this represents a hitherto unknown mode of fish reproduction."

"Perhaps the egg fell into the pond following some kind of predatory attack but we're baffled as to how the minnows got to be inside."

"Certainly, we didn't see any crack in the egg."