For generations the appendix was thought to have no
purpose. But now, researchers say they have discovered
the true function of this organ, and it is anything but
redundant.
Researchers now say that the appendix acts as a safe
house for good bacteria. The body uses this to essentially
“reboot” the digestive system when one suffers from a bout
of dysentery or cholera.
Conventional wisdom used to claim that this small pouch
protruding from the first part of the large intestine was
simply redundant or an evolutionary shadow of a once
useful organ. For years doctors advised people have their
appendix removed and in spite of it’s now-apparent use,
most seem none the worse for having it removed.
Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina
researchers say that following a severe bout of cholera or
dysentery, which can purge the gut of bacteria essential for
digestion, the appendix acts as a reserve for good bacteria
to emerge.
In spite of the findings, Professor Bill Parker says that this
does not mean we should cling onto our appendices at all
costs.
“It’s very important for people to understand that if their
appendix gets inflamed, just because it has a function it
does not mean they should try to keep it in,” he explained.
“So it’s sort of a fun thing that we’ve found, but we don’t
want it to cause any harm, we don’t want people to say,
‘oh, my appendix has a function’, so I’m not going to go to
the doctor, I’m going to try to hang onto it.”
Nicholas Vardaxis, an associate professor in the
Department of Medical Sciences at RMIT University, says
that the theory put forward by the Duke University team
makes a lot of sense.
“As an idea it’s an attractive one, that perhaps it would be a
nice place for these little bacteria to localize in, a little cul-
de-sac away from everything else,” he weighed in.
“The thing is that if we observe what’s been happening
through evolution, the higher on the evolutionary scale we
are and the more omnivorous animals become, then the
smaller and less important the appendix becomes and
humans are a good example of that.
“The actual normal flora bacteria within the appendix, as
well within our gut, are the same, so we’ve lost all of those
specialized bacteria.
“So it doesn’t have that safe house type of function
anymore, I don’t think.
“It’s a vestige of something that was there in previous
incarnations, if you like.”
Scientists were led to the discovery by examining the
appendices of koalas. Unlike the short human variety, the
koala is famous for having an extremely long appendix.
This aids in their diet which is almost exclusively made up
of eucalyptus leaves.
Professor Vardaxis says that in spite of the fact that the
human appendix acts in a similar manner to that of koalas,
it is unlikely that we will see a shrinking of the Australian
marsupial’s organ any time soon.
“Unless of course we have a massive blight and we get the
eucalypt on which the koala thrives dying, then we may
find some mutant koalas out there perhaps that will start
eating other things, and as they start to eat other things,
then over generations and hundreds of thousands of years
of time, then surely, yes, the koala’s appendix will shrink as
well.”

http://www.jewsnews.co.il/2015/04/16/eureka-scientists-finally-discover-the-function-of-the-human-appendix/

Cool

And it took them this long to find out about it.

I knew it but could not prove it
How can God create something that is useless, not possible

Nice to know... Just learnt a thing... Comment above me though

And I just removed mine. Cool finding though