Trending Now - Research Reveals Key Reasons Behind Human Right-handedness
WHO:
Yahoo - Researchers from the University of Oxford conducted the study.
Gizmodo - Thomas Püschel, associate professor in evolutionary anthropology at the University of Oxford, is the lead author of the study.
WHAT:
Yahoo - The study suggests that the right-handed preference became much more prominent with the genus Homo, which includes modern humans and our closest extinct relatives.
Gizmodo - The right-handed preference was present in early hominins such as Ardipithecus and Australopithecus, similar to patterns seen in great apes today.
Gizmodo - The study indicates that Homo floresiensis, discovered in Indonesia, showed a much weaker right-hand bias due to their relatively small brains and a mix of walking upright and climbing.
Yahoo - The study suggests that 90% of humans are right-handed.
Gizmodo - The study analyzed data from 2,025 individuals across 41 species of monkeys and apes.
Gizmodo - The study indicates that early human ancestors had a slight preference for using their right hand, similar to patterns seen in great apes today.
Gizmodo - The right-handed preference became more prominent with the genus Homo, which includes modern humans and extinct relatives.
WHERE:
Yahoo - The research was conducted at the University of Oxford.
Gizmodo - The "hobbit" species, Homo floresiensis, was discovered in Indonesia.
WHEN:
Yahoo - The study was published in PLOS Biology.
Gizmodo - The right-hand dominance is believed to have been present around 2.6 million years ago.
WHY:
Gizmodo - The researchers argue that the evolution of larger brains and the ratio between arm length and leg length are key factors in understanding handedness.
Yahoo - The study suggests that right-handedness developed alongside two major evolutionary shifts: walking on two legs and developing larger brains.
Gizmodo - The researchers argue that the evolution of larger brains and the ratio between arm length and leg length are key factors in understanding handedness.
HOW:
Yahoo - The researchers incorporated new data on brain size and the ratio between arm length and leg length to explain the right-handed bias in humans.
Yahoo - The researchers analyzed various evolutionary factors, including tool use, diet, habitat, body size, social structure, brain size, and movement patterns.
Gizmodo - The study tested previous theories on handedness and incorporated new data to explain the right-handed bias in humans.
(UPDATED May 21, 2026 01:40 UTC)
A recent study reveals that the preference for right-handedness became significantly more pronounced with the genus Homo, which includes modern humans and our closest extinct relatives. Interestingly, early hominins like Ardipithecus and Australopithecus also exhibited right-handed tendencies, similar to behaviors observed in today's great apes, while Homo floresiensis showed a weaker right-hand bias due to their smaller brains and a combination of upright walking and climbing. Researchers believe that the evolution of larger brains, along with the ratio between arm length and leg length, are crucial factors in understanding this handedness trend in humans.
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(UPDATED May 20, 2026 23:24 UTC)
Researchers from the University of Oxford have conducted a study suggesting that about 90% of humans are right-handed, a preference that appears to have roots in our early ancestors. The study, led by associate professor Thomas Püschel, analyzed data from over two thousand individuals across 41 species of monkeys and apes, indicating that right-handedness became more pronounced with the evolution of the genus Homo. This research, published in PLOS Biology, highlights how the development of larger brains and bipedalism may have influenced handedness over the past 2.6 million years.