As a right-handed person, I can only imagine the challenges faced by a
left-handed person in this right-handed world. Everything seems to be
designed for right-handed people, including scissors, can openers,
writing from left to right (hello, smudges!)… the list goes on and on.
Anyway, scientists don’t really have much of an explanation for why
some people are left-handed. It remains a mystery, although it’s assumed
that there is at least a genetic component. But is there anything else
that’s special about left-handed people? Well, I guess that depends on
what you consider “special.” Below is a list of 24 crazy facts about
left-handed people… you be the judge!
- The word “left” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “lyft” which meant broken or weak. Meanwhile, right means… right.
- Left-handed people are “cross-wired,” meaning that they usually use the right side of their brain to control their left hand.
- They are able to adjust to underwater vision more easily than their right-handed counterparts.
- About 5 to 10 percent of the world is left-handed.
- They are usually good at sports, such as swimming, baseball, tennis, etc.
- More than 40 percent of the world’s top tennis players are left-handed.
- Several of the last US presidents are left-handed.
- Left-handed college graduates are expected to become 26% richer than their right-handed peers.
- They usually reach puberty later.
- They are 3% more likely become alcoholics.
- In animals, such as cats and mice, the left-handed population is about as equal as the right-handed population.
The longest words that can be typed with only the left hand with
standard keyboard positioning are: sweater, dresses, tesserae, and
decades.
- 1 of the 4 Apollo astronauts was left-handed.
- A study showed that left-handed people process emotions differently than right-handed people, and become angry more quickly.
- Studies show that left-handed people are better in math,
architecture, and spatial awareness, but are not as developed as
right-handed people when it comes to verbal skills.
- Left-Handers Day is August 13th.
- Left-handedness was once perceived as being negative, being linked
to bad habits, rebellion, neurosis, criminality, and the mark of the
devil. However, it was also considered to be a mark of creativity and
musical skills.
- Some of the most notorious killers in human history were
left-handed: Jack the Ripper, The Boston Strangler, and Osama Bin Laden.
- They have an increased risk of insomnia.
- Women who are pregnant in their 40s have a 128% higher chance of
giving birth to a left-handed child compared to women who are pregnant
in their 20s.
- There are more than 30 million left-handed people in America.
- In the case of injury to a dominant hand, a left-handed person can
learn how to use the other hand more quickly than a right-handed person.
- Left-handed people are more susceptible to allergies and asthma.
- Left-handedness runs in the family. For example, members of the
British Royal Family, including Prince William, Queen Elizabeth II,
Prince Charles, and the Queen Mother are all left-handed.
Source: Healthy Life Tricks
