So, what do Alexander the Great, Aristotle, President George H. W. Bush, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Babe Ruth all have in common? They're all lefthanders. While it's unclear just how many people are lefthanders, it's estimated at about 10%. Just what makes a person left-handed? Some research suggests it has to be with the level of testosterone present in the womb before birth. What we do know is that which hand you favor is not a matter of choice but is part of our genetic makeup.
Facts About Left-Handedness
- Researchers believe there are two types of lefthanders: Genetic Lefthanders and Pathological or Forced Lefthanders (people who were genetically predisposed to being right-handed, but an injury to the left part of the brain changed their handedness).
- Which hand a person uses is determined by the brain as the one that is most versatile and will work best with the brain, so do not try and change it.
- Lefthanders do seem to have an advantage in sports that require quick reactions and good spatial judgment, such as tennis and fencing.
Famous Lefthanders
Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Alexander the Great
Hans Christian Anderson
Aristotle
Rocky Balboa
Ludwig van Beethoven
George H.W. Bush
Winston Churchill
Ty Cobb
Bob Dylan
Albert Einstein
Henry Ford
Benjamin Franklin
Nicole Kidman
Paul McCartney
John McEnroe
Marilyn Monroe
Isaac Newton
Robert De Niro
Pele
Babe Ruth
Julia Roberts
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
Monica Seles
Mark Spitz
Sting
Mark Twain
Prince William
Oprah Winfrey
