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.

It was the first day of spring break in 1992 in Phoenix, Ariz. and 12-year-old Heather Smith was excited for her family's upcoming ski trip. But before Smith and her family had even packed their snow ...

How long can a human survive without certain organs? In this video, we explore what happens when the body loses or functions ...

You may have heard that astronauts have their appendix removed before leaving Earth. After all, people say you can live without this organ because it serves no purpose, but how much truth is there in ...

MINNEAPOLIS — Stephen Colbert is away from late-night TV following emergency surgery last week — the comedian's appendix burst. That made us wonder: What does the appendix do for our body? And why are ...