Why do we have an appendix? I thought everything in the human body had reason.?

Answer 1

Scientists, doctors and the like are all trying to find reasons for its existence. So far there's none. But I really do believe that everything is placed in our human body would go for a reason.

Answer 2

It is simply not true that "everything in the human body has a reason."

Other examples:

- Can you wiggle your ears? The muscles that let you do this have no purpose. They are a throwback to other mammals that move their ears to direct towards sound. (Watch a cat or dog for an example.)

- Goose bumps? These are caused by tiny muscles in the skin. In other mammals this has the purpose of fluffing up the fur when cold or threatened. But in humans, goosbumps have no purpose.

And there are several other examples ... but I'm getting tired.

To answer your question, (quoting wiki) "The most common explanation is that the appendix is a vestigial structure with no current purpose. In The Story of Evolution Joseph McCabe argued thus:

"The vermiform appendage—in which some recent medical writers have vainly endeavoured to find a utility—is the shrunken remainder of a large and normal intestine of a remote ancestor. This interpretation of it would stand even if it were found to have a certain use in the human body. Vestigial organs are sometimes pressed into a secondary use when their original function has been lost."

Answer 3

I have read but I don’t know where that the appendix is very active in the embryonic stage of development and for a time after birth, then gradually becomes redundant. It definitely is a required organ. I will try and find the source of my information.

"It is likely that a few thousand years from now (if we're not all extinct) man will have lost his appendix (that's not a sexist remark!) and we may have lost all our, now un-needed, hair"

The above statement by poster BobSpain is not born out by the Darwinian theory that states that evolutionary change only occurs if there is an advantage to survival or, that version, dies out due to having a particular attribute that succumbs to a predator or disease. If appendicitis was an incurable and fatal condition no doubt future beings would not have an appendix.

Answer 4

An appendix refers to a type of tube that can be in the body. However, I expect you are referring to the Vermiform Appendix, which is by far the largest in the human body and comes off of the join between the large and small intestines (see Science Aid site: http://scienceaid.co.uk/biology/fundamentals/digestion.html for diagram of where this is).

Scientists believe this to be a left over from our evolutionary past, and was once responsible for digesting grass and such things. However our diet is much more different now and the Vermiform Appendix is pointless and can be removed with no ill effects.

Along with the remains of our tail and many other bits and pieces in the body, it shows how we ave not always been human beings and our species has very gradually developed and changed over millions of years.

Answer 5

The appendix is one of the signs of evolution. Back in the day when homosapiens were nomadic people, the appendix served as a way to digest freshly eaten raw grains. over the last several thousand years, this is not needed, as such our bodies use it to store poisons.

wikipedia says this about teh function of the appendix
The appendix is thought to have descended from an organ in our distant herbivorous ancestors called the cecum (or cæ***). The cecum is maintained in modern herbivores, where it houses the bacteria that digest cellulose, a chemically tough carbohydrate that these animals could not otherwise utilize. The human appendix contains no significant number of these bacteria, and cellulose is indigestible to humans. It seems likely that the appendix lost this function before human ancestors became recognizably human

Answer 6

Every part of the human body either has a use or USED to have a use. Those parts which no longer have any discernable use are called "vestigial organs". Such structures once had a use but over time we have evolved so that we no longer need them. In humans this includes the appendix which is believed to be the left-over from the second stomach that many mammals exhibit. Another example is the small blob in the corner of your eye - this was once an inner eyelid.

Vestigial organs are seen in many animals that have evolved to the extent that they are no longer needed - for example some snakes have tiny "spurs" on their flanks which used to be legs before the snake evolved to do without them.

In other instances an organ or structure is put to a use which is different to the original... a classic example is the wings of penguins - penguins no longer fly but the still have wings, which they now use to help them swim.

Answer 7

Hi,

in the distant past the vermiform appendix DID have a purpose, which was to help digest cellulose (from grasses) that were eaten by our pre-historic ancestors. We no longer eat grasses, which even with the appendix were difficult to digest (even cows that DO eat grasses need four stomachs to do it properly)

But all parts of the human body do NOT have a purpose. Men have nipples, for instance. Bodily hair has no real purpose now though again, in pre-history, hair was vital to keep us warm, or protected from adverse weather.

It is likely that a few thousand years from now (if we're not all extinct) man will have lost his appendix (that's not a sexist remark!) and we may have lost all our, now un-needed, hair.

Good question, though,

Cheers,

BobSpain

Answer 8

The appendix used to have a reason, its thought that it launched juice into the tummy to help digest food while guy ate a specifically vegetarian weight loss application. As we evolced, we had a greater dissimilar weight loss application and greater efficient abdomen and bowel so the appendix wasnt needed to any extent further. Evolution has basically not stopped making human our bodies devoid of it yet....in step with hazard we are able to need it back interior the destiny?

Answer 9

The appendix has no known function in humans. Evidence suggests that our evolutionary ancestors used their appendixes to digest tough food like tree bark, but we don't use ours in digestion now. Some scientists believe that the appendix will disappear from the human body.

Answer 10

The appendix is not a necessary organ for humans although it can help the body's immune system by producing some antibodies.

However in other animals it is still used as part of the process of digestion. Maybe our ancestors also used it for digestion.