The appendix is an organ we tend not to think about until it acts up, causes illness and needs to be removed surgically.

Recent studies indicate the appendix helps maintain gut health by housing beneficial bacteria.

For years, the appendix was brushed off as a useless leftover from human evolution. Many of us grew up believing that it served no real purpose and was better off removed at the first sign of trouble.

“I'm sure we're going to find out one day that the brain is as worthless as the appendix.” —Scott McClanahan The poor, maligned appendix. That worm-like accessory dangling from our intestines has long ...

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 ...