People Have Been Left-Handed Since Before We Were People

Scientists have discovered handedness goes far beyond modern man (i.e. Homo sapiens or Cro Magnon).  We only go back not much more than 150,000 years but the research has discovered evidence of handedness in humanoids from 2.8 million years ago.  (Science Daily:  Earliest evidence in fossil record for right-handedness)

My only experiences with left-handedness are few, first with my ol' Mother who had the trait 'disciplined' out of her by antediluvian missionaries in China thus giving me a lifetime contempt for them.  My brother, Doc, is also left-handed so there are two out of eight in the family and Mystery Lady who joined the family later is left-handed as well.

Some say left-handedness imparts artistic sensitivities and I have no reason to argue with that.  The interesting aspect is that implies there were artistic types even among ancient humanoids who would likely terrify us if they were close.  These creatures were almost entirely covered in hair and looked as much like apes (all of us are) as they did humans.  Likely we would have run for our lives on seeing them but apparently there were some incipient Vincents among them.


Here's some of the scientific evidence and this is where it starts getting weird.

By examining striations on teeth of a Homo habilis fossil, a new discovery led by a University of Kansas researcher has found the earliest evidence for right-handedness in the fossil record dating back 1.8 million years.

- Science Daily

Say there, Doctor Kansas, you say you're telling me you have evidence of right- or left-handedness and you found that in teeth.  I'm trusting you but this is getting strange, buddy.

Frayer said among the network of deep striations found only on the lip face of the upper front teeth most cut marks veered from left down to the right.  Analysis of the marks makes it likely they came from when OH-65 used a tool with its right hand to cut food it was holding in its mouth while pulling with the left hand.  The scratches can be seen with the naked eye, but a microscope was used to determine their alignment and to quantify their angulation.

- Science Daily

That's some particularly strange evidence but it sounds credible.

The novel part is the conclusion.

Multiple lines of research point to the likelihood that brain reorganization, the use of tools and use of a dominant hand occurred early in the human lineage.  Today, researchers estimate that 90 percent of humans are right-handed, and this differs from apes which are closer to a 50-50 ratio.  Until now, no one looked for directionality of striations in the earliest specimens representing our evolutionary lineage.

"We think we have the evidence for brain lateralization, handedness and possibly language, so maybe it all fits together in one picture," Frayer said.

- Science Daily

Since it seems we're evolving handedness into a single direction, we assume this shows either apes had zero missionaries and / or we have too damn many of them.

Maestro, rim shot, please.

(Ed: that last was a scientific as asking PeeWee Herman which movie theaters he likes the best!)

Well, I do my humble best.