The 5 surprising advantages of left-handed people range from sports to emotional control

Maybe left-handed people really are in their right mind.

By

Erik Barnes

Jun 25, 2025

By Erik Barnes

June 25, 2025

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Photo credit: Canva – Being a leftie has its perks.

If you’re a left-handed person, you know that it’s not easy being a “south paw.” The world is just built around the assumption that people are naturally right-handed. There are even articles about left-handed struggles that impact day-to-day life. Even though those struggles are real, there are some advantages left-handed people have over their right-handed counterparts. In fact, some of those advantages can make righties jealous of their lefty peers.

There are actually quite a few perks of being left-handed that even lefties might not know about. Let’s go over a few of the advantages that left-handed folks have over the majority of the population.

Athletics

If you’re an athlete and are left-handed, you may have an edge over your right-handed peers in sports. Since the majority of athletes practice and train against fellow right-handed competitors, they have to adjust their typical training and strategy when up against essentially a mirror image of what they’re used to. In baseball, a pitcher has to alter how they typically throw against a left-handed batter than the usual rightie. In boxing and martial arts, a left-hander typically has a different fighting stance that a right-handed usually has to defend against, along with contending that the left handed punch is likely stronger. There are also left-handers like Lebron James that learn their sport “the right-handed way” during their training but can use their natural left-handedness to become unstoppable. This is, in part, why so many of the most famous athletes happen to be left-handed such as Babe Ruth, Wayne Gretzky, and Martina Navratilova.

Memory

A study from the University of Toledo suggests that left-handed people tend to have better memories of events than right-handed folks, and other experts back this up. The explanation provided by the study is that that left handed people’s brain hemispheres are more closely connected compared to right-handers since they often have to have both hemispheres work together to do some tasks the “right” way.

Self-Control

A study or two came to the conclusion that left-handed people have better inhibitory control than their right-handed peers. When it comes to indulging in vices, keeping their anger in check, and fighting temptation in genera, lefties just have more control. So, if you meet a calm and cool person who turns down a cupcake because they’re sticking to their diet, you may want to offer your left hand for a handshake.

Driving

Oddly, even though most American cars have their gear shift, controls, and even cup holders on the right side of the vehicles, there is research that suggests that left-handed drivers are better at driving than righties. A study from the AA Driving School found that left-handed drivers were 10% more likely to pass their driving test the first time compared to right-handers. It’s theorized that it’s because lefties have more balanced brain hemisphere usage due to living in a right-handed favored world, leading them to have faster reaction times and and being more responsive when driving.

Thinking

Since brain hemisphere usage is more balanced in lefties, this not only suggests left-handers are better at driving but at thinking in too. A 2006 Australian study came to that conclusion after test results showed that left-handed people processed information much faster than righties, especially with tasks that required both hemispheres of the brain in simultaneous use. The idea that lefties are better thinkers is reinforced in the business world, as psychologists have found data that suggests the companies with left-handed CEOs had more peaks in innovation than companies that didn’t.

So, while the world is built for the right-handed, there still appears to be opportunities and advantages waiting to be taken and held by a capable left hand.

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Humans nearly vanished 800,000 years ago, revealing a quiet truth: most family lines disappear

Your lineage is one of the few that never broke.

Mark Wales

4/24/2026

There was a moment in human history when our entire existence may have desperately clung to a thousand or so people. A DNA-based study found that between 800,000 and 900,000 years ago, our ancestors experienced a severe population crash.

This wasn’t humans dealing with a giant meteor like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs. It was a much slower stretch during which humanity teetered on the brink of disappearing completely. This bottleneck in the human gene pool, comprising roughly 1,280 breeding individuals, lasted about 117,000 years.

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Human population levels plummet

According to Scientific American, the study analyzed modern human genomes to piece together what the early human population looked like. By constructing a complex family tree of genes from present-day humans, researchers were able to identify important evolutionary events.

During the Early-Middle Pleistocene, a period within the Ice Age, humans faced severe weather and intense glacial cycles. Most human ancestors may have died out, clearing the path for a new human species to take their place.

Focusing on Africa, the study showed that 813,000 years ago, human populations began to recover and grow again. With an estimated two-thirds of genetic diversity potentially lost, traits like brain size appear to have been among the important features that survived. “It represents a key period of time during the evolution of humans,” population geneticist and study co-author Ziqian Hao said. “So there are many important questions to be answered.”

DNA genome sequences.
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Understanding evolution and ancestry

What we know about evolution reveals a different story than a simple, continuous line of human improvement. Over time, genetic lines disappear—not dramatically all at once. It’s a slow and steady change, generation after generation.

Human existence isn’t inevitable. Species strength or technical advancement doesn’t guarantee the future or explain our past. It’s contingent on narrow, accidental circumstances. A 2021 study showed that human evolution is better seen as a continuous flow of incremental fragments over time. Categorizing people into races and groups oversimplifies human history.

A diverse group of wooden figures.
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What does the bottleneck study say about us?

The study reveals humanity didn’t simply decline; it nearly collapsed. With over 98% of our genetic diversity erased, entire branches of the human family tree permanently ceased to exist.

It’s quite possible that if even a few more of those genetic lines had ended, human history could have vanished with them. Most branches of life don’t continue. What we witness today reflects biological persistence and countless moments that could have gone another way.

A 2024 study conducted five billion simulations, revealing that as a species’ population shrinks, its risk of extinction rises. Even stable groups can quickly collapse if their numbers suddenly drop low enough.

A 2025 study found that small populations erode genetic diversity. Isolation increases inbreeding and elevates the risk of extinction. Once a lineage shrinks, recovery becomes vastly more challenging over time. Long-term survival is an exception, not the guiding rule.

Humanity likes to think of itself as the result of an incredibly unique progression. Perhaps studies like these suggest that we are actually what remains when everything else disappears. The reason any of us live today comes down to a small group of ancient outlasters: persevering individuals whose genetic lines are the building blocks of every human living today.

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Photo credit: University of St Andrews/YouTube – Sperm whales headbutting.

Exploration, Science

Researchers capture sperm whales headbutting on camera, validating what sailors have said for centuries

“It’s exciting to think about what as-yet unseen behaviours we may soon uncover”

Mark Wales

3/27/2026

For centuries, sailors have told wild tales of whales ramming ships. Reports of a sperm whale smashing and sinking the Essex in 1820 inspired Herman Melville to write Moby-Dick. Scientists had never witnessed it themselves—until now.

Researchers have captured the first-ever drone footage of sperm whales headbutting each other. During fieldwork off the coast of the Balearic Islands, they recorded three separate incidents between 2020 and 2022.

Drone footage captures sperm whales headbutting

The new study was published in the journal Marine Mammal Science. Using drones, researchers from the University of St Andrews, the University of the Azores, and Asociación Tursiops captured video evidence of sperm whales headbutting. They found that most of the whales were young, immature males. In one incident, a young male circling near a female suddenly charged and slammed into her, knocking her off course. After the impact, she broke away from the group and did not return.

The researchers estimated impact speeds ranging from 1.8 to 8 miles per hour, with collisions generating forces of up to 20 tons of pressure. The impacts captured on video were not necessarily considered aggressive. In fact, researchers believe the behavior reflects rough play or forms of mock combat. Similar behaviors can be seen in other mammals, like dolphins and lions.

A depiction of Moby-Dick.
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Observations of sperm whale behavior

Using their large heads, sperm whales have been reported by whalers to strike and move objects since the 19th century. “It was really exciting to observe this behaviour, which we knew had been hypothesised for such a long time, but not yet documented and described systematically,” said Dr. Alec Burslem, lead author of the study.

“It’s exciting to think about what as-yet unseen behaviours we may soon uncover, as well how more headbutting observations may help us to shed light on the functions the behaviour may serve,” Burslem added.

Documented, unprovoked attacks on humans by sperm whales are exceedingly rare, with most occurring during historical whaling incidents. Research indicates that sperm whales do not naturally exhibit aggression toward humans. While they can be curious, they often avoid vessels and observers. Historical accounts of whales ramming ships are likely defensive reactions rather than predatory attacks.

A sperm whale.
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Language and cultural identities

Whales use clicks like letters, combining them into sequences that function like words in a complex form of communication. A 2024 study found that sperm whales use a highly sophisticated communication system with structures resembling a phonetic alphabet. These audio cues are used for coordination, caregiving, and social interaction.

A 2022 study found that specific click patterns serve as symbolic markers that help establish cultural identities within sperm whale pods. Researchers identified seven distinct clans, each with its own unique dialect. This provided quantitative evidence of whale social structures known as identity codas.

Studying this new drone footage offers fresh insights into whale social groups and behavior. While the headbutting may look aggressive, researchers interpret it as rough play. With technologies like drones giving scientists unprecedented access to these interactions, it’s exciting to think of what discoveries are yet to be made.

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Photo credit: Canva – (L) A man gives a thumbs up; (R) An eviction notice

Exploration, Science

Study reveals startling truth: Intelligence lowers our empathy toward other people

“Smart people care less about moral judgements.”

Mark Wales

GOOD Staff

3/27/2026

A recent study conducted on adults in the UK found that people with higher cognitive ability scored lower on moral foundations. The study, published this summer in the journalIntelligence, sought to gage people’s response to the Moral Foundations Theory based on their overall intelligence. After two different studies, no difference was found between genders, but a person’s intelligence revealed a different story.

The research suggests that analytical thinkers tend to override their baseline moral intuitiveness. But what does that actually mean? First, cognitive ability refers to problem solving, abstract thinking, memory, logic, language comprehension, and basic critical thinking. This isn’t only IQ, but a person’s ability to process and apply their knowledge. Think of it as a living scholastic aptitude test (SAT.)

Man embraces a sunset. Photo Credit: Canva

After testing to rate cognitive ability, subjects were then tested against The Moral Foundations Theory. The idea behind the theory is that, despite different cultures and populations, people tend to follow a similar set of themes and intuitive ethics. The theory follows six core ideas: care, equality, proportionality, loyalty, authority, and purity.

Surprisingly, the results of the tests found that people with higher intelligence found the moral foundations to be less important.

Care

Care has to do with the virtues of kindness, gentleness, and nurturing. This is the foundation of empathy. By feeling connected and emotionally attached to the community, people gain purpose and a strong feeling of belonging.

Equality

Symbols for equal diversity. Photo credit: Canva

Always a hot topic on the political playing field, equality looks to create fair circumstances. The idea is all people have equal opportunity and treatment. Communities offering equality have reduced resentment and foster a cooperative environment where people feel respected and included.

Proportionality

This concept is based on fairness and merit. People should get what they deserve and be treated by what they do, not just who they are. What you put in, you get out. This is a driving principle underlying a core belief of this country: that anyone can achieve most anything if they are willing to put in the work. Many would argue for its merit while others would call it wishful thinking.

Loyalty

Hands come together. Photo credit: Canva

This is another popular topic of political leaders and followers. We are tribal by nature and greatly benefit from a feeling of belonging. Sacrificing the individual wants for the needs of the group, this is one of the foundational cornerstones of building communities.

Authority

Leader in front of group. Photo credit: Canva

Authority encompasses the concepts of hierarchy and respect for traditions. Research shows we are genetically programmed to seek a social hierarchy. As much as many fight to climb to the top, feeling a part of the system is often enough to supply someone with a great amount of emotional security.

Purity

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “Your body is a temple.” The ideal is expressed through self-discipline, self-improvement, and spirituality. Striving to be noble and less carnal, people try to be the best version of themselves. The moral advancement and the elevation of the social consciousness of the community is believed to have incredible value.

These core values are believed to be inherent in all people, but are they? At least according to this most recent study, the more intelligent you are, the less you might care about them. However, author and literary genius Leo Tolstoy once famously claimed that kindness is one sure sign of a highly intelligent person and other studies back up his views. Maybe when it comes down to it, it depends on the person.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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