Both the appendix and wisdom teeth were essential for our ancestors to aid in the digestion of tough foods, but in modern humans, they have become largely unnecessary and can even cause health issues.
Read the two texts.
Text 1
While researchers are still learning about how the appendix serves today's human body, some scientists think this organ may have been essential to our ancestors. One theory is that, in the past, the appendix was an important organ to a plant-eating ancestor of humans. Back then, the appendix may have been much larger to help humans digest tough foods like tree bark. In modern humans, though, it is only a small pouch attached to the large intestine.
Text 2
Humans once needed wisdom teeth to survive, but now these molars at the back of the mouth are less necessary and often cause problems. Wisdom teeth were essential to early human ancestors, helping them chew their tough, uncooked food. Modern man's food, though, is typically cut up, cooked, and easier to eat, making wisdom teeth largely unimportant. Beyond just diminished utility, though, wisdom teeth can cause trouble for many people; they can become impacted in the jaw, cause pain, and need to be extracted.
Which sentence best combines the main, or central, ideas of both texts?
1 answer