<p>Dear Lefties: It&#8217;s official! You are very special, according to science.</p> 
<p>Throughout history, being left-handed has been viewed as a weakness or something to overcome. Heck, just 20 years ago, studies said that left-handed people <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2006231" type="external">die sooner</a> and were <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1349905/" type="external">prone to more accidents</a>. Why? It&#8217;s not your fault, lefties&#8212;you&#8217;re living in a world built for right-handed people!</p> 
<p>Doors are made for the right hand. Simple household items like scissors and can openers are made for the right hand. Even writing can be more of a challenge for lefties.</p> 
<p>But studies have revealed some interesting facts about left-handedness. And, it turns out, there are some serious perks to being a leftie&#8212;including a higher likelihood of excelling at sports and better problem-solving skills (take that, righties!). Read on for some fun facts about and great perks of being left-handed.</p> San Diego Padres v Arizona Diamondbacks by Darin Wallentine / Getty Images Sport 1. We Don&#8217;t Know Why Left-Handed People Exist 
<p>In spite of a good deal of research over the years, there still isn&#8217;t a definitive answer as to why some humans are left-handed. It could be partly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1839378" type="external">hereditary from the mother&#8217;s side</a> of the family tree. Another theory is that if there is more testosterone in the womb, there&#8217;s a greater chance the baby will be left-handed. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15513117" type="external">one study</a>, twins were twice as likely to be left-handed as compared to the rest of the world.</p> 2. We Don&#8217;t Know Exactly How Many Left-Handed People Are On Earth 
<p>Various studies estimate that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3258574/#!po=15.0000" type="external">between 5 and 26</a> percent of the population is left-handed. But those numbers vary depending on culture and region being studied.</p> Flickr | Dave Haygarth 
<p>RELATED: Here are some more things you might not know about left-handed people:</p> 3. Lefties Are More Likely To Be Good At Sports 
<p>About <a href="http://www.livescience.com/2665-baseball-rigged-lefties.html" type="external">25 percent of all MLB players are left-handed</a> (or &#8220;southpaws&#8221;). And baseball&#8217;s not the only sport that&#8217;s advantageous for lefties. Interactive sports like tennis <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/left-handed-personality-psychology_us_58331757e4b058ce7aac163a?" type="external">give lefties the upper hand</a>. In fact, one report showed a whopping <a href="http://randomlyresearched.com/left-handers-exist/" type="external">40 percent of top tennis players are left-handed</a>. Since left-handed athletes&#8217; movements are different, opponents aren&#8217;t used to reacting to them. Athletes are built on routines, and when you disrupt their routine, it throws off their game.</p> 4. Left-Handedness Has Never Become Extinct 
<p>Back in the day, left-handed students were forced to write with their right hands in an attempt to correct what was seen as a problem. Even with these questionable practices going on, the trait of left-handedness has not died. Instead of survival of the fittest, left-handedness is sort of a &#8220;survival of the unexpected.&#8221; For instance, in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/03/health/being-left-handed-health-impact/" type="external">primitive cultures</a>, 27 percent of people living in war-like regions were left-handed, compared to 3 percent in peaceful regions. Perhaps that&#8217;s because the right-handed fighters never saw the left hook coming.</p> 
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/6812988091/" type="external">Flickr | Denise Krebs</a> 5. Left-Handers Are Better Problem Solvers 
<p>Scientists believe lefties are better at <a href="http://randomlyresearched.com/left-handers-exist/" type="external">divergent thinking</a>, or coming up with multiple solutions to a problem. As a result, they are more likely than right-handed counterparts to pursue <a href="http://randomlyresearched.com/left-handers-exist/" type="external">careers in science, art and technology</a>. <a href="http://left-at-the-start.com/famous.html" type="external">Famous lefties</a> who made names for themselves in those fields include Marie Curie, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Pablo Picasso, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Bill Gates, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman and Jean-Paul Gaultier&#8212;an impressive lineup!</p> amfAR Los Angeles 2017 - Arrivals by Frazer Harrison / Getty Images Entertainment 6. Left-Handedness Can Be Predicted Before Birth 
<p>Doctors can tell if a baby is left-handed through ultrasound. Most babies, or 90 percent of them, move their right arm and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1775228" type="external">suck on their right thumb</a>in the womb. That other 10 percent? Future lefties!</p> Flickr | DebMomOf3 7. Lefties Are In Very Good Company 
<p>While studies about whether left-handed people are officially &#8220;better&#8221; thinkers are inconclusive, there is anecdotal evidence that lefties are very smart. <a href="http://left-at-the-start.com/famous.html" type="external">Famous left-handed brainiacs</a> include Albert Einstein, President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, as mentioned above, and Neil Armstrong. Not bad company to keep!</p> 8. Most Left-Handed People Are Born In Late Spring To Early Summer 
<p>One study showed that most lefties <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18387526" type="external">were born between March and July</a>. From this information, we can deduce that most lefties were conceived between June and October. As to what this indicates, well, researchers aren&#8217;t quite there yet&#8212;but it is an interesting finding nonetheless!</p> Above All: Pink by 31246066@N04 / Ian Sane
Scientific Evidence That Left-Handed People Are Exceptional