The appendix is the finger-shaped tube sticking out of the lower colon. While it may harbor beneficial microbes within your microbiome, it is often considered a “joke organ” with no function. In herbivores it is vital for plant digestion. Your appendix may only come to mind if it gets blocked causing inflammation known as appendicitis. This is no joke as it can cause severe pain around the navel and lower right abdomen. Standard treatment is surgical removal.