What is or was the appendix used for? I have heard it used in prenatal development.?

Answer 1

It's function is a matter of some controversy. The appendix was perhaps an organ responsible for the metabolism of chlorophyll. Animals who's diets contain large amounts of vegetation have much larger appendix

Answer 2

The appendix is still somewhat a mystery as to its function in the human body. There is some evidence that it produces some hormones in the body. But the general view is that the appendix is a vestigial organ - parts of the body that was useful during our evolutionary history but have lost its function. It might have been used to aid digesting grasses and tough plants that were staples of our diets. (Koalas have a better developed appendix which helps them to digest eucalyptus leaves).

Another example of a vestigial organ are the muscles in our ears that can flex to cause them to wiggle. There is no real use for them now, but Milena ago, we may have used these muscles to swivel our ears to help detect predators.

Answer 3

The human vermiform appendix is a vestige of an enlarged cecum which was necessary for our distant ancestors that were herbivorous.

Answer 4

No one knows why we have it but it has no current physiological use.

One theory is we no longer need it as it became redundant once we started cooking our food, it seems to be still needed by herbivores.

Of course it does have one really useful reason for being there .............. it disproves creationism, as if we were created, instead of being the product of evolution, we wouldn't have it

Answer 5

It is purely vestigial and useless, a product of evolution of man.

Answer 6

Please see the webpage for more details on Vermiform appendix, Appendicitis and Appendectomy.