Appendix is not an appendage!
By: Geo (June 20th, 2008)
The human appendix (vermiform appendix), located at the junction of the small and the large intestine in all humans, is considered a vestigial (useful once upon a time but now degenerate and ill formed) organ. It is taught about in schools as a reminder of what used to be an useful organ some time in history in some remote ancestors of the human race.
Some say that the appendix used to be useful in the digestion of leaves and others say it used to be useful in the digestion of raw red meat and when our remote ancestors stopped consuming both these items, the appendix shrunk and has assumed in current shape and size! However both these views are questionable because very few mammals have an appendix at all and in those that do, it bears little ressemblance to the human appendix!
Everyone lives happily with it until it becomes painfully inflamed, when the only treatment is to remove it surgically. Then everyone lives happily without it! So why is it there in the first place?
If that is true, why is it that removing the appendix apparently does not have negative side effects? The scientists contend that in industrialized countries with modern medical care and sanitation, maintaining a reserve of helpful bacteria has become unnecessary. Widespread outbreaks of intestinal disease are so rare that the commensal bacteria face little danger of extermination.
Seems it is not vestigial (as contended by Darwin). It is not an appendage afterall but placed there specifically for our benefit! Time to change its name? Time to change our frames?
Tags: Appendix, commensal bacteria, Darwin, gut, Symbiotic germs, vermiform, vestigial