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

Some scientists think they have figured out the real job of the troublesome and seemingly useless appendix: It produces and protects good germs for your gut. That’s the theory from surgeons and ...

You don’t need it – and if it bursts, you need surgery fast. That basic story traces back at least to Charles Darwin, the ...

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 ...

Stress and anxiety can’t directly cause appendicitis. But they may contribute to problems with your gastrointestinal system, which can sometimes lead to appendicitis or cause other types of abdominal ...

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 ...