Your Appendix Isn’t Useless

Did you know–your appendix is not useless. It has a vital role as a reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria. The appendix is often routinely removed, especially after it becomes inflamed. Yet such surgery could be a mistake, say a team of researchers from the US and South Africa who have looked into its function across a range of mammals. The fact that the appendix hasn’t disappeared naturally in any of those species (533 species) suggests it’s far from useless, but has evolved with other parts of the intestines, say the researchers. (Comptes Rendus, 2017; 16: 39-57)