Why do humans have an appendix? New research is reshaping our understanding of this overlooked organ and its antiquated role in our biology.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Most people get acquainted with their appendix when it's inflamed and about to rupture. Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library ...

Most people know only two things about the appendix: You don’t need it – and if it bursts, you need surgery fast. That basic story traces back at least to Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who ...

The human appendix is a small, muscular, vermiform or worm-shaped organ, averaging around 9cm in length, that is located at the junction of the small and large intestine. 1 According to comparative ...

For years, the appendix carried a reputation as the body’s most pointless organ. Doctors often removed it without hesitation, and textbooks labeled it a vestigial structure—something our ancestors ...

The appendix, a once-dismissed organ now known to play a role in the immune system, may contribute to a person’s chances of developing Parkinson’s disease. An analysis of data from nearly 1.7 million ...

It was the first day of spring break in 1992 in Phoenix, Ariz. and 12-year-old Heather Smith was excited for her family's upcoming ski trip. But before Smith and her family had even packed their snow ...