2007-01-05 07:37:27 · 6 answers · asked by Martha 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
It is part of the immune system to protect the body from certain toxins.
2007-01-05 07:46:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the ultimate proof of human evolution.
We developed other organs that do the same job that the appendix used to do, and they do it better, and eventually the appendix will be done away with altogether (over the next hundred centuries or so)..
It's kind of like building an arch - you can't remove any part of it without the whole thing falling down, but you know that at some point in time there was scaffolding holding it up until they put in the keystone at the top that holds the whole thing together.
A creationist would have you believe that because something is 'irreducibly complex' (meaning that removing any part of it would cause it to cease functionng) that it must've been created that way.
2007-01-05 07:44:24 · answer #2 · answered by superfunkmasta 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The appendix is some proof for the theory of evolution. It is used by some animals to help digest hard plant matter, but millions of years ago our ancestors no longer needed this function as we have become omnivorous. And over those years the appendix has become defunct
2007-01-05 07:41:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It may have an immune function.
I have a link for some light reading.
At one time they thought the tonsils serve no purpose and it was normal to take them out. Now they know it does serve a function and removing them is not a good idea.
2007-01-05 07:51:37 · answer #4 · answered by Max50 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the same reason that men still have nipples, we haven't evolved quite enough for these useless organs to have completely disappeared.
2007-01-05 07:45:41 · answer #5 · answered by Maverick 6 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Because we have evolved from animals that did.
2007-01-05 07:38:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋