What the Appendix is Good For

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The appendix has long been thought to be useless. However, new research suggests that the appendix actually can have a healthy function—to harbor bacteria beneficial to the immune system. This would have been vital early in humans' evolutionary history, when the chance of infection was much higher and medicine was lacking, and may still play that role for people in less developed parts of the world.

Resource ID#: 64485 Type: Text Resource

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Direct Link: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/what-appendix-good

General Information

Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science

Grade Level(s): 7

Intended Audience: Educators

Resource supports reading in content area:Yes
Freely Available: Yes

Keywords: text complexity, evolution, vestigial structures, immune system, informational text, appendix, wisdom teeth, bacteria

Instructional Component Type(s): Text Resource

Resource Collection: STEM Reading Resources

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