Why are Left Handed?

Lefties are everywhere. What is the origin of this peculiarity? It is estimated that all societies have about 10 percent of left-handed, but on examining more closely the phenomenon shows that the proportion varies widely among countries, the figures ranging between 3 and 27 percent.

What is certain is that there is a hereditary component in the transmission of this condition. Having a parent left or both significantly increases the chances of being. The hereditary transmission would be even more important if the mother was left-handed, by doubling the chances that the son was too. And scientists think that environmental influences during pregnancy or breastfeeding could intervene. In any case, being a lefty is not related to education. So it is useless to force a child to be right. Better to help them grow and develop with this feature.

A strong character
Lefties, are smarter than righties? Conventional wisdom says that left-handed people are more advantages in the fields of science and art. But scientific studies do not agree and while some argue that, indeed, lefties would be more skilled in certain career fields, others find no difference between them and the skilled. Some have even concluded that the former would have weakened intellectual abilities and others who have a strong character. Indeed, some studies showed that left-handers would be more aggressive and destructive behaviors would. Right-handers, by contrast, would be more peaceful and tolerant.

There are scientists who have studied the existence of a relationship even more delusional. A Canadian group found more homosexual lefties, which was contradicted by other studies.

Unusual Athlete
Being a lefty also brings other positive aspects, for example in sport. Like most skilled athletes are often surprised when they compete against a rival left-handed. This is common in boxing and tennis. French investigators Charlotte Faurie and Michel Raymond of the University of Montpellier, ensure that these advantages may explain why left-handers have reached our days. By having these advantages as less skilled, natural selection should be done away with the trait. But the fact that the lefty is more skilled in close combat may have helped them maintain their status through the centuries. For the French researchers, this explains why there are more left-handers in the more violent (the more killings in a country is, the greater the number of left-handed ….)

Be handed in daily life
But everyday life is not easy for them, do not forget that living in a right-handed world! Scissors, can openers, musical instruments, ATMs … Examples of utensils inconvenient for lefties are infinite. In fact, they are more susceptible to household accidents with tools unsuitable for your condition.

But being left handed means not only more exposed to small everyday accidents, but some scientists say that the life expectancy of these people would be shorter than righties in almost ten years.

How to explain this phenomenon?
The scenarios are numerous. One explanation might be, precisely, its unsuited to righties, and others suggest that the failure of left-handedness is associated with a weakened immune system increasing the risk of infection.

But fortunately, studies have challenged this theory. According to some scientists, there would be a poor understanding of the situation related to the fact that during a time when left-handers were forced to be proficient. To this end, they tied his left hand on the back, for example. Over time, the practice was dying out. But this explains why there are few left-handers than eighty years, some more than seventy and sixty more years, etc.. There would be a premature demise of left-handers, but a correction in childhood.

Lefties are, therefore, a lifetime to make do in a right-handed world.