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Squeaks, that is some beautiful art.
Look at all those colors you used!
I’m trying to draw a flower garden, and
I’ll need to use lots of different colors
to do it.
I’ll need to use one color at a time, like
this.
Hmmm … I think this is going to take a while.
[Squeaks squeaks]
Oh, you're right!
It might go faster if I colored with both
hands at the same time.
Let’s try it.
I don’t think this is going very well, Squeaks!
My right hand is much better at drawing than
my left hand.
Even just holding the crayon in my left hand
is uncomfortable.
So it was a good idea, Squeaks, but I don’t
think it’s going to work for me.
It’s hard for me to color with my left hand
because I’m right-handed — I’m a righty.
Most people have one hand that’s better
at doing things like writing, drawing, and
picking things up.
We call this their handedness.
Since I’m right-handed, when I go to pick
up a crayon, I naturally want to use my right
hand.
When I use my left hand, I’m kind of clumsy,
and I can’t control it as well as I want
to.
Most people are right-handed like me, but
about one in every ten people is left-handed
— a lefty.
Someone who’s left-handed might throw a
baseball or use a paintbrush with their left
hand, instead of their right.
There are even a few rare people who can use
both hands really well!
These people are ambidextrous, which just
means they’re skilled with both hands.
Only about one in every 100 people is ambidextrous,
so it’s pretty special.
[Squeaks squeaks]
That’s a good question, Squeaks!
He wants to know why most people are righties.
Well, scientists still aren’t sure, although
they do have a few ideas.
One idea is that it has a lot to do with our
brains.
Your brain controls everything your body does,
and different parts of your brain control
different parts of your body.
In general, the right side of your brain controls
the left side of your body, and the left side
of your brain controls the right side of your
body.
[Squeaks squeaks]
Yeah, it is weird that each side of your brain
controls the opposite side of your body!
But that’s just how we’re wired.
Earlier, we talked about how most people are
right-handed.
So which side of the brain would be in charge
of moving their right hand?
[Squeaks squeaks]
You got it!
The left side of your brain controls your
right hand.
But that’s not all the left side of your
brain does.
It’s also in charge of helping you talk.
When you talk, you’re making small, careful
movements just like when you write or color.
You’re just moving your mouth and tongue
instead of moving your hand.
So scientists think that it’s easier for
the left side of the brain to just be in charge
of both talking and those harder small movements
like writing, which is why so many people
are right-handed.
But people who are left-handed or ambidextrous
are just as good at using their hands as right-handed
people are!
Their brains are just organized in a way that
might not be as simple.
Another idea is that which hand you use more
comes from your parents.
Lots of things about people can come from
their parents — what they look like, the
color of their eyes, how tall they are … you
name it!
Well, which hand you use might be another
one of those things.
Scientists still aren’t sure how exactly
this connection works, but if lots of people
in your family are left-handed, you’re more
likely to be a lefty, too — although you
could still be a righty!
So most people might be right-handed because
it’s easier for one side of your brain to
control both talking and writing, and which
hand you use might come from your parents.
But there’s still a lot we don’t know
about how our brains work!
[Squeaks squeaks]
I’m not sure when scientists will figure
out everything about handedness.
We’ll have to keep researching, and see
what we can all find out together.
If you want to do some research yourself,
you can try testing the handedness of your
family by having everyone write with their
left and right hands.
Are there more left-handed or right-handed
people in your family?
Is anyone ambidextrous?
Squeaks and I will do some more research,
too, by finishing up our artwork.
We’d love to hear about your research results!
If you’d like to share with us, have a grown-up
help you to leave a comment below, or send
us an email at kids@scishow.com.
We’ll see you next time, here at the Fort!
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