When our son was born two years ago, my right-handed wife prayed he would be a lefty, because she believed lefties were disproportionately talented. It seems that he is left-handed, as am I and my older son, but new research suggests that may not carry the benefit my wife thought it would.
About 12 percent of people globally are southpaws. You're more likely to be one if you're male than female and if your mother was left-handed. Lefties' brain structure and use appear to differ from righties. For example, the neural fibers connecting the left and right sides of the brain (the corpus callosum) are larger in lefties. And lefties differ in how the brain responds to language.
But does belonging to the 12 percent bring some IQ or other benefit? Of the seven presidents since Gerald Ford, at least four have been lefties, reinforcing that view. (That count excludes Ronald Reagan, who was reportedly born left-handed but learned to write with his right.) Thus my wife's wish for our son.