Plural of chalaza; the twisted cord-like structures inside an egg that anchor the yolk to the white (albumen).
From Greek χάλαζα (khalaza), originally meaning 'hail' (small round objects), used metaphorically for the small rounded knots in eggs that hold the yolk in place.
Chalazae are basically nature's suspension system—they're why egg yolks don't just plummet to one side of the shell, and they're made of the same protein material as the surrounding egg white!
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