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Why do some people use their right hand, and others their left?
Some people use their right hand and some use their left because one side of the brain works a little stronger than the other.
Our brain has two halves: a left half and a right half. The left half controls the right side of our body, and the right half controls the left side. In most people, the left half is a little stronger, so most people use their right hand.
In some people, the right half is stronger instead. That is why they use their left hand more easily and more strongly. This is called being left-handed.
Scientists think this has to do with genes passed down from parents. So if a mum or dad is left-handed, their child is a little more likely to be left-handed too. But how it really works is still being studied.
Using either hand is normal, and neither one is better or worse than the other. About 1 in every 10 people in the world is left-handed.
Quick facts
- Our brain is made up of two parts: a left half and a right half.
- The left half of the brain controls the right side of the body, and the right half controls the left side.
- In most people, the left half of the brain is stronger, so they use their right hand.
- Children whose mum or dad is left-handed have a slightly higher chance of being left-handed.
- About 1 in every 10 people in the world is left-handed.
- The painter Leonardo da Vinci was a left-handed artist.
Check what you remember
3 questions — all of them come from the quick facts above. There is no score and no wrong turn.
1. Which side of our body does the left half of our brain control?
2. About how many people in the world are left-handed?
3. Which of these famous people was left-handed?
Where this comes from
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1 britannica.com 85/100Handedness - Britannica
A trustworthy encyclopedia page that explains the science behind hand preference.
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2 tr.wikipedia.org 80/100Left-handedness - Wikipedia
An encyclopedia page that explains what being left-handed is and why it happens.
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3 tr.wikipedia.org 75/100Brain - Wikipedia
A page that explains how the brain works and its two halves.
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