The human appendix, a narrow pouch that projects off the cecum in the digestive system, has a notorious reputation for its tendency to become inflamed (appendicitis), often resulting in surgical ...

The evolution of the appendix is a fascinating phenomenon. Learn about the original function of the appendix and why having one may cause more trouble than it’s worth. Most of us are familiar with the ...

Long denigrated as vestigial or useless, the appendix now appears to have a reason to be – as a “safe house” for the beneficial bacteria living in the human gut. Drawing upon a series of observations ...

The appendix is an organ thought to have gone the way of our wisdom teeth and body hair: At one point we all needed them, now people can get by just fine without them. Scientists, though, have never ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Why do humans have an appendix? New research is reshaping our understanding of this overlooked organ and its antiquated role in ...

It has long been regarded as a potentially troublesome, redundant organ, but American researchers say they have discovered the true function of the appendix. The researchers say it acts as a safe ...

The appendix may not be useless after all. The worm-shaped structure found near the junction of the small and large intestines evolved 32 times among mammals, according to a new study. The finding ...

The theory of evolution suggests that the present-day ‘vestigial parts’ of the human body – like the appendix, wisdom teeth, and tailbone – fell out of use with the passage of time as we continued to ...

You know how your whole life you've heard that your appendix is a vestigial organ, one that probably had a function eons ago, but in a modern world is obsolete? And now its only purpose is to get ...