Randomness or Design?

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Apparent function of the human vermiform appendix in the recovery from diarrhea. (J. Theoretical Biology. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.08.032) The colon with normal, beneficial bacteria (green color) is contaminated with an organism (red color) that causes diarrhea. The appendix apparently serves as a "safe house" for the good bacteria, protecting that supply of bacteria from contamination and facilitating a re-start of the system once the contaminating organism has been eliminated. (J. Theoretical Biology. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.08.032) Although more than 2 million children die each year in developing countries as a result of diarrhea, children living in those countries face an estimated 1.4 billion cases of diarrhea each year (Information based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as published in Emerg Infect Dis 9(5), 2003.) Thus, the process of recovery from diarrhea is relatively effective in developing countries. This process is expected to be less critical in developed countries, where widespread epidemics resulting in diarrhea are uncommon and thus the loss of beneficial bacteria from the population as a whole is highly unlikely. (J. Theoretical Biology. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.08.032)