6 human body parts we dont really need and could easily live without

It turns out the human body has a sort of junk drawer, too.We have a number of body parts that served an important purpose for our distant ancestors but are essentially useless now, yet continue to take up space.In fact, these body parts often cause problems for us, from pain to life-threatening infections, leading us to remove them and confirm that yes, we actually don’t need them at all.And evolution doesn’t stop.A few of these features are already on their way out, with a good chunk of us born without them at all.Your appendix is a tiny tube at the end of your large intestine, on the lower right side of your midsection.That tiny pouch can become infected and inflamed (appendicitis), which causes sudden pain, nausea, constipation, and bloating.

If it ruptures, it could spread infection through the body and become life-threatening.That’s why removal of the entire organ is a common emergency surgery (about 300,000 performed a year in the US).After it’s gone, you can live a completely normal and healthy life without one.

For a long time, scientists assumed it had no function — that it was a vestigial organ, leftover from when our evolutionary ancestors ate mostly plants, thanks to Charles Darwin.However, in recent years, evidence has emerged showing that the organ contains a large amount of immune cells, helping the body fight germs, as well as holding beneficial bacteria to help digestion run smoothly.The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, a digestive fluid that breaks down fats that are made by the liver.It rests right below the liver in the upper right area of the abdomen.Like the appendix, removing the gallbladder is a common surgery — more than 1.2 million removals are done each year in the US.

This might be required when gallstones cause painful blockages, or a patient experiences frequent “gallbladder attacks” of stabbing pain after eating heavy meals.Surgery might be required when the organ is infected, as well.When the gallbladder ...