Facts about left handed people!
The lefties comprise just about 10% of the world’s population, a percentage that has remained steady for the last 30,000 years. While just 1 in 10 humans are lefties, research shows that several animal species (such as cats, rats and mice) have an equal percentage of favoritism toward the right and left paw. As for us humans, here are some amazingly fun facts you may not have known about southpaws:
1. VISUAL-SPATIAL TAKS
Lefties tend to excel in visual-spatial tasks (such as fine arts and architecture), while righties are overrepresented in math and science. Though it is interesting that 4 of the 5 original designers of the Macintosh computer were left-handed.
2. HIGHER IQS
Lefties seem to be overrepresented among geniuses. According to research done at St. Lawrence University in New York, there were more left-handed people with IQs over 140 than right-handed people. Considering that Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Franklin were all lefties, it is hard to disagree with history.
3. TELL-TALE SIGNS
If you are curious whether your baby is going to be a leftie, take a close look at your ultrasounds. They show that 90% of babies in the womb seem to favor the right thumb, which is the same percentage of righties in the population. Also, when babies in a study were placed on their tummies, the right-handed babies turn their heads to the right, while the left-handed babies either favored the left side or put their heads to either side without a preference.
4. TWINSIES
One other potential sign of having a left-handed baby is the age of the mother. When expectant mothers are over 40 the babies are over 125% more likely to be left-handed. Oh, and if you are expecting twins, you should know that there is a high tendency for one twin to be left-handed.
5. FIGURE DRAWING
Most left-handers draw figures who are facing to the right and have difficulty drawing profiles of faces that are facing toward the left.
6. STRIKE A POSE
It is well-known in baseball that left-handed batters seem to have more trouble hitting off left-handed pitchers than right-handed batters do against right-handed pitchers. Based on this theory, many hours of coaching strategy are spent each season planning strategic match ups.
7. ENTRANCE TO ADULTHOOD
Left-handers usually reach puberty four to five months after right-handers. We’re not sure if this one is a blessing, a curse, or completely irrelevant to anything
8. EVEN STEVEN
Physically, lefties’ bodies may be more balanced. Research shows that righties are more sensitive to their right side, while lefties show more evenness between sides. For example, lefties tend to perform better using their right hand than vice versa. Also, lefties’ arms are more likely to be even in strength and size while for righties their right arm is typically stronger and larger. However, in terms of favoring one side over the other, we all become more ambidextrous as we get older.
9. BETTER, NOT BITTER
Lefties love to brag. In fact, according to a recent survey, southpaws are generally more attractive, more intelligent, and more talented than right handers. Well, at least according to a survey given to lefties!
