Leg evolution made most humans right-handed
A study from the University of Oxford suggests that the evolution of human handedness is linked to leg length and brain size rather than hand use. Researchers found that as early humans evolved to walk upright and developed larger brains, a preference for right-handedness emerged. This research provides insights into the evolutionary factors influencing handedness in humans compared to other primates.
- ▪Humans are approximately 90 percent right-handed, a trait not seen in most primate relatives.
- ▪The study indicates that leg length and brain size are key factors in determining handedness.
- ▪Researchers believe that the evolution of bipedalism and larger brains contributed to the dominance of right-handedness in Homo sapiens.
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Most of our primate relatives are a mix of right- and left-handed. Credit: Shutterstock / PeopleImages Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Email address Sign up Thank you! Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. It would make more sense if only a few related cultures exhibited it, but the trait is everywhere. No matter where you are in the world, the humans living there are about 90 percent right-handed while the remaining 10 percent are predominantly left-handed. This curious facet isn’t seen in our primate relatives, either. Evolutionary biologists and neuroscientists have spent decades trying to understand why the vast majority of Homo sapiens prefer using their right limb, but have since come up…well, empty handed.
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