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 ...

For years, the appendix was brushed off as a useless leftover from human evolution. Many of us grew up believing that it served no real purpose and was better off removed at the first sign of trouble.

Most people know only two things about the appendix: You don't need it—and if it bursts, you need surgery fast. That basic story traces back at least to Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who ...

Generally treated as a medical emergency, appendicitis can leave a person doubled over in agony. The most common symptom is abdominal pain, explains Dr. Martin Zielinski, a surgeon trained in critical ...

It may be painful, but there could be an unusual upside to appendicitis: Those who have had their appendix removed are 20% less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, according to a new analysis of ...

03 Irving returned to the UK with colitis, permanently altering her life. If you’re a parent, you know that it takes a ton of time, effort, and usually a large amount of money to be able to plan your ...

Why do humans have an appendix? New research is reshaping our understanding of this overlooked organ and its antiquated role in our biology. The appendix has been treated as little more than an ...

“I'm sure we're going to find out one day that the brain is as worthless as the appendix.” —Scott McClanahan The poor, maligned appendix. That worm-like accessory dangling from our intestines has long ...