Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism • Hacker News Board

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#171

Post by Danox » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:12 AM UTC

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

Left-handed individuals living in a predominantly right-handed world possess the capacity to adapt and utilize their right hand effectively. While most right-handed individuals do not exhibit this ability unless they experience an extraordinary event, such as an injury to their right hand, left-handed individuals are compelled to learn how to use their right hand in a right-handed world.

As a left-handed individual who employs a trackpad or mouse with their right hand, stick shifts are also possible, at least in the United States. Furthermore, left-handed individuals can switch-handed, bat from either side, and use both hands equally in a fight. This adaptability may be the reason why left-handedness remains prevalent in combat sports, including swordplay, tennis, boxing, and even wrestling. In certain combat situations, the initial blows are crucial for survival, especially in the past.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#172

Post by Danox » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:28 AM UTC

dhosek wrote: post #154

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

For this sort of motor skill, it’s definitely learned. For stringed instruments, for example, it’s the left hand which has the more finely managed manipulation than the right (it’s interesting to note that only guitar-family instruments are commonly made in left-handed versions, although some of that may come down to logistics of string ensembles where having one left-handed violin in the violin section would cause a…

This left-hander did, guitars can be used/adapted too if you’re left-handed, you might have to adapt like a certain well known person named Jimi Hendrix…

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#173

Post by rym_ » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:38 AM UTC

Danox wrote: post #171

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

Left-handed individuals living in a predominantly right-handed world possess the capacity to adapt and utilize their right hand effectively. While most right-handed individuals do not exhibit this ability unless they experience an extraordinary event, such as an injury to their right hand, left-handed individuals are compelled to learn how to use their right hand in a right-handed world. As a left-handed individual w…

In fencing at least left handed fighters tend to get a bit further because there are so few of them they are a lot harder to play against. On a training night a left handed fencer might match up with 10 right handers while a right handed might only see one left hander!

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#174

Post by Tor3 » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:49 AM UTC

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

I'm right-handed, I'm pretty sure of that. But it's also an observed fact that if there's something I'm not used to to yet then it doesn't really matter which hand I start doing whatever it is with, if it's the right hand that'll be the preferred hand for that activity in the future, or if it's the left hand then that'll be the one. Things I do "both ways" I can do.. both ways.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#175

Post by NetOpWibby » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:53 AM UTC

I'm a lefty but do everything else with my right hand. My earliest memory of using lefty scissors was in 5th grade and they were metal and super uncomfortable to use. Meanwhile, the other kids were given modern scissors with the hard plastic molding. I don't remember if I felt discomfort with those but I sure didn't want to use old rusty scissors so I stuck with it.

I kick with my left foot too. I feel more comfortable throwing with my right. If I'm holding a bat, I do so the "normal" way (idk terminology there).

When my son was learning to write I was super excited that it looked like he would be a lefty but a week later he favored his right hand for scribbling.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#176

Post by kranner » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:56 AM UTC

Danox wrote: post #171

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

Left-handed individuals living in a predominantly right-handed world possess the capacity to adapt and utilize their right hand effectively. While most right-handed individuals do not exhibit this ability unless they experience an extraordinary event, such as an injury to their right hand, left-handed individuals are compelled to learn how to use their right hand in a right-handed world. As a left-handed individual w…

> While most right-handed individuals do not exhibit this ability unless they experience an extraordinary event, such as an injury to their right hand, left-handed individuals are compelled to learn how to use their right hand in a right-handed world.

As a person with severe hemophilia in the third world, where the condition is very under-treated (no prophylaxis, very little clotting factor and sometimes none), I've grown up facing this issue with the dominant arm being out of commission due to a bleed for days at a time. I gradually learned to do almost everything with the left hand: brush my teeth, shave, eat, shower, type with one hand (autocompleting IDEs help), even drive a stick shift (using the right hand to hold the wheel briefly while shifting, technically illegal I'll admit).

It's not that difficult to adapt. The barriers are mostly mental because it feels awkward at first. There are some dexterity issues but if you don't mind going slowly, you can get by.

Just sharing my experience, not meant to undermine the challenges faced by left-handed individuals in a right-handed world.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#177

Post by Tor3 » Wed, May 20, 2026, 4:57 AM UTC

xenadu02 wrote: post #155

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

I remember in elementary school being amused by the idea of handedness so I decided to practice writing with my left hand as well. I'm not great at it but even to this day I can write legibly with my left hand from that little bit of practice as a child. Anyone can get much better at using their non-dominant hand (if they have one) with just a bit of practice. The effect is much much stronger when you do so as a chil…

Generally agreed, except for the "Anyone" - because people really are different. I'm familiar with a few people (from very young to adults) who are extremely one-handed. The other hand is nearly useless, except for holding and supporting. Those individuals will typically turn newspaper pages or book pages using their right hand (if they're right-handed, and one guy told me that he didn't trust his left hand with a fork to actually hit his mouth, so he used a knife+fork the opposite way of most right-handed people. These people are in a minority, but they exist.

Then there's guitar.. some, or actually most left-handed people can learn to play a right-handed guitar if they simply start with a right-handed guitar. But there are also some people (some of them very well known) who tried learning the guitar for a very long time, and couldn't. Until they switched to a left-handed guitar. (Why it's natural to actually use the left hand for something which looks complicated - fingering, and the right hand for something simple - strumming - has been discussed forever. Apparently that's because a right-handed person typically has better timing in their right hand, and that's why it matters).

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#178

Post by Tor3 » Wed, May 20, 2026, 5:00 AM UTC

dhosek wrote: post #154

Vachyas wrote: post #151

An interesting anecdote that comes to mind is playing old computer games with arrow keys, which used my right hand. I got pretty proficient with this. Over the years, I (and I imagine many others) switched over to WASD to play newer games with mouse + keyboard, but this meant using the left hand for "arrow keys" Now I can directly compare how proficient I am with WASD vs Arrow Keys and the result surprised me. I was…

For this sort of motor skill, it’s definitely learned. For stringed instruments, for example, it’s the left hand which has the more finely managed manipulation than the right (it’s interesting to note that only guitar-family instruments are commonly made in left-handed versions, although some of that may come down to logistics of string ensembles where having one left-handed violin in the violin section would cause a…

The French Horn is played left-handed.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#179

Post by ivolimmen » Wed, May 20, 2026, 5:00 AM UTC

NetOpWibby wrote: post #175

I'm a lefty but do everything else with my right hand. My earliest memory of using lefty scissors was in 5th grade and they were metal and super uncomfortable to use. Meanwhile, the other kids were given modern scissors with the hard plastic molding. I don't remember if I felt discomfort with those but I sure didn't want to use old rusty scissors so I stuck with it. I kick with my left foot too. I feel more comfortab…

Exactly the same for me. I am very used to using my right hand so most thing I can do with both hands. When I played baseball (Even though I am Dutch) I could swing with my left and my right. I do catch with left though.

Weird thing is; lefties are rare. I have a very old group of friend that I know since I was 15. We are all lefties and one friend even married a left handed woman so the lefties are in the majority.

Re: Why is almost everyone right-handed? A new study connects it to bipedalism

#180

Post by imp0cat » Wed, May 20, 2026, 5:02 AM UTC

laserDinosaur wrote: post #150

colkassad wrote: post #99

I always faced left when riding a skateboard back in the day, otherwise known in skater parlance as being "goofy-footed". Facing right felt as difficult as writing with my left hand. I always wondered whether that was just the way I first rode a skateboard and it stuck, but if that was the case, I would expect the distribution of which skateboarders face which way to be about even. But goofy-footed riders are in the…

I'm goofy footed as well - skate boarding with my left foot forward is like trying to throw a ball with my left hand. I also found that if I was rollerblading or ice-skating, turning to my left (counter clockwise) with a foot-over-foot action I can do super easy, but turning turning clockwise I always struggled with.

Here is an interesting experiment you can try - think about it more like "skate with the right foot back" then "skate with the left foot forward" and see if it gets any easier for you. It definitely does work for me.

Obviously it won't sudenly make you a perfect regular-stance skater though. :)