As humans have evolved, some anatomical parts with functional roles in the body have become unfunctional and are often referred to as vestigial organs or structures. Some are believed to be a ...

It was the first day of spring break in 1992 in Phoenix, 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 pants, ...

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 ...

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 ...

Universidad de Navarra provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation ES. You may have heard that astronauts have their appendix removed before leaving Earth. After all, people say you can ...

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 ...