Royal Society Science Book Prize Winner

Right Hand, Left Hand

by Chris McManus

Summary

A study of biological and cultural asymmetry for general readers, asking why bodies, molecules, and societies so often favour one side over the other. McManus draws on genetics, neuroscience, and history to explore handedness, the placement of internal organs, and the chirality of life's chemistry. He argues that asymmetry is not an oddity but a fundamental organising principle from cells to civilisations.

Historical Context & Significance

McManus explored "situs inversus" and the evolutionary advantages (and stigmas) associated with left-handedness.