{"id":3724,"date":"2024-02-02T16:12:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-02T16:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/drhimanshuyadav.com\/she-had-appendicitis-at-age-12-now-shes-researching-why-the-appendix-is-important-shortwave-npr\/"},"modified":"2024-02-02T16:12:03","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T16:12:03","slug":"she-had-appendicitis-at-age-12-now-shes-researching-why-the-appendix-is-important-shortwave-npr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drhimanshuyadav.com\/blog\/she-had-appendicitis-at-age-12-now-shes-researching-why-the-appendix-is-important-shortwave-npr\/","title":{"rendered":"She had appendicitis at age 12. Now she’s researching why the appendix is \u200b\u200bimportant: Shortwave: NPR"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n \"\"\n <\/picture>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n

Heather Smith is an evolutionary anatomist at Midwestern University who studies the fossil record of extinct species.
\n <\/p>\n

Megan Robbins\/Heather Smith<\/p>\n

<\/b>
\n hide caption<\/b><\/b>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

toggle caption<\/b><\/b>\n <\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Megan Robbins\/Heather Smith<\/p>\n

<\/span>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n \"\"\/
\n <\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n

Heather Smith is an evolutionary anatomist at Midwestern University who studies the fossil record of extinct species.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Megan Robbins\/Heather Smith<\/p>\n

<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

At that time, many of us heard that the appendix was a vestigial organ, at best a part of the body that lost its purpose many years ago. In the worst case scenario, it could unnecessarily attach itself to the human body and threaten life if it ruptured. But what if that theory is wrong?<\/p>\n

heather smith<\/a> She has been obsessed with appendixes ever since she had her appendix removed at age 12. After years of studying anatomy, she discovered that the appendix is \u200b\u200bactually useless. <\/p>\n

Do you think it’s time to give that duty to another part of the human body? Email us at <\/em>shortwave@npr.org<\/em> \u2014 I\u2019d love to hear about it!<\/em><\/p>\n

listen to shortwave <\/em>spotify<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>apple podcast<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Google Podcasts<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Watch every episode of Short Wave without sponsorship and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+. <\/em>plus.npr.org\/shortwave<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n