Standing just outside the Keflavík International Airport terminal, this striking stainless steel sculpture tells a story of birth, survival, and the unique avian history of Iceland. Known as "Jet Nest" (or *Þytsreiður* in Icelandic), it was created by the artist Magnús Tómasson in 1996 to celebrate the opening of the Leif Erikson Air Terminal. The sculpture features a giant egg perched atop a rugged mound of volcanic basalt rocks, with a sleek, wing-like shape—reminiscent of both a jet turbine and a bird’s beak—piercing through the shell. The imagery is a clever double entendre. On one level, it represents the "hatching" of modern Icelandic aviation and the airport itself as a gateway for international flight. On a deeper level, it pays homage to the many migratory birds that use Iceland as a vital nesting ground. The specific shape emerging from the egg is often associated with the Great Auk, a large, flightless bird that was once common in the North Atlantic. Tragically, the Great Auk was hunted to extinction, with the last known breeding pair killed on the nearby island of Eldey, just off the coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula, in 1844. By placing this "modern" egg on a traditional nest of Icelandic stone, the artist connects the ancient natural world with the contemporary era of jet travel. It serves as a reminder of the fragility of the environment and the island's role as a sanctuary for life. The reflective surface of the steel is meant to catch the dramatic, ever-changing Icelandic sky, making the sculpture look different depending on whether it’s under the midnight sun or the grey clouds of a North Atlantic storm.