There’s no single gene for left-handedness, at least 41 regions of DNA are involved

Most people consistently use the same hand to do tasks that require skill and control such as writing or threading a needle. We know genetics plays a big part in which hand a person prefers, but it has been difficult to identify the exact genes responsible.

To find out more, we analysed the DNA of more than 1.7 million people and discovered 41 regions of the genome associated with being left-handed and another seven associated with being ambidextrous.