In the usual strange way, a random conversation cropped up at work this week about being left-handed. I recalled that I had recently read something about left-handed people having a shorter average life expectancy than those who are right-handed. This is the sort of story that usually appears on the BBC News site, so I typed in my search for "left handed" to try and find the story. I had no luck, but I was fascinated to see a large number of wonderful nuggets of knowledge instead! Did you know that left-handedness was common in the Ice Age? Or that most walruses are right-flippered? Or even that couples turn their heads to the right as they kiss? All good little gems to be recalled at the pub as necessary.
Very interesting.You weren’t wrong about the life expectancy by the way – a search revealed an article in the Telegraph on 8 Dec rounding up a few theories about why leftyism continues despite some apparent disadvantages. Apparently the left-handed are more likely to thrive in a violent society (people less used to fighting them)and also have a slightly higher average income, so it’s not all bad news!
I found some more left handed nuggets, including this one:
Using a standard keyboard, and typing with both hands, the number of words in English that are typed solely with the left hand is 1,447. Only 187 words are typed solely with the right hand. The longest English word written only with the left hand is “stewardesses”.
Plenty more on here! : http://www.guardian.co.uk/netnotes/article/0,6729,773963,00.html