From the appendix to the wisdom tooth... 6 parts of the body that you can live without

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Human bodies contain a number of organs and features that played important roles for ancient ancestors, but scientists today believe that some of them are no longer necessary for survival, even though they continue to occupy space inside the body.

Indeed, some of these parts may cause health problems ranging from pain to serious infections, which sometimes prompts doctors to remove them without significantly affecting the patient’s life.

At the same time, evidence indicates that the process of evolution is still ongoing, as some of these organs and features have begun to gradually disappear, to the point that a number of people are born without them naturally, according to what the New York Post reported.

The appendix is ​​a small tube located at the end of the large intestine in the lower right part of the abdomen. When it becomes inflamed, it may cause severe pain, nausea, bloating, and constipation, while its explosion may lead to the spread of infection within the body and threaten the patient’s life.

Therefore, its removal is one of the most common emergency surgeries, and the affected person can live a completely normal life after its removal.

For decades, the appendix was considered a useless organ and an evolutionary relic from a time when ancestors relied on plants for food. But recent studies have shown that it contains immune cells and harbors beneficial bacteria that help support immunity and improve the digestive process.

In addition, the gallbladder plays an important role in storing the bile that the liver produces to help digest fats. It is located directly below the liver in the upper right side of the abdomen.

But it is removed in many cases, especially when there are stones that lead to painful blockages or when severe pain attacks recur after eating fatty foods. Removal may also be necessary when inflammation or infection occurs. Even though the gallbladder is removed, the digestive system continues to function normally, as bile moves directly from the liver to the small intestine.

The tonsils are also part of the immune system, as they work to purify germs that enter the body through the nose or mouth. They are located in the back of the throat, but they may be subject to chronic inflammation or enlargement.

In some cases, enlarged tonsils obstruct the airway during sleep and cause snoring and sleep disturbances, which prompts doctors to recommend their removal. This procedure is common, especially in children, while most people can maintain their natural ability to resist infection even after they are removed.

Wisdom teeth usually appear between the ages of 17 and 25, at the far back of the mouth. Due to the limited space available to many people, they may get stuck inside the gums or push adjacent teeth and cause crowding, and they are also more susceptible to decay due to the difficulty of cleaning them.

For these reasons, millions of people undergo wisdom teeth extractions every year, knowing that about 20% of people are born without them at all. Researchers believe that these molars were useful to ancestors who ate harder foods that required additional chewing force, at a time when human jaws were larger than they are today.

The palmaris longus muscle extends from the forearm to the palm of the hand, and is involved in the movement of bending the wrist in various daily activities. However, about a quarter of humans are born without this muscle.

Scientists believe that this muscle helped ancestors climb trees and move between branches, but its disappearance does not seem to affect strength or physical performance, which has led many researchers to consider it an evolutionary trait that has lost its importance over time.

In addition, the plantar muscle is a small, thin muscle that extends behind the lower leg. Its rupture is associated with a condition known as “tennis leg,” which causes severe pain and may sometimes be accompanied by a pop-like sound as a result of injury to the leg tissue.

It is estimated that between 7% and 16% of people are born without this muscle. While many experts have considered it useless for many years, others believe that it may contribute to a limited extent to supporting balance, movement, and maintaining body posture.