http://www.metafilter.com/tags/theoriesofuse Posts tagged with 'theoriesofuse' at MetaFilter. Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:48:30 -0800 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:48:30 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/65359/So%2Dwhy%2Ddo%2Dyou%2Dthink%2Dwe%2Dhave%2Dan%2Dappendix <a href="http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/vestiges/appendix.html ">Theories about the appendix abound. </a>(scroll down) But a new one is outlined in an interesting <a href="http://news.independent.co.uk/health/article3038404.ece">article </a>in today’s Independent (UK) referencing the work of Duke Medical School researchers in the Journal of Theoretical Biology. A more cynical view might be "Its major importance would appear to be financial support of the surgical profession." Alfred Sherwood Romer and Thomas S. Parsons The Vertebrate Body (1986), p. 389. <em><em>“The US scientists found that the appendix acted as a “good safe house” for bacteria essential for healthy digestion, in effect re-booting the digestive tract after the host has contracted </em>diseases such as amoebic dysentery, or cholera….”</em> See also some discussions about other “spare parts”. <a href=" http://evolution-101.blogspot.com/2006/07/why-do-men-have-nipples.html">Male nipples</a>, <a href="http://www.imago-dei.net/imago_dei/2005/03/the_loss_of_wis.html">wisdom teeth</a>, <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/tailbone.html">coccyx </a>(warning: Creationist view!), and <a href="http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/500079/">spare ribs</a>. tag:metafilter.com,2007:site.65359 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:48:30 -0800 Appendix coccyx evolutionarysafehouse immunolgy malenipples spareribs theoriesofuse vestigalstructures wisdomteeth Wilder