By Jeremy Laurance
London - For an instant guide to how fast a woman can run, take a look at her hands. Women whose ring fingers are longer than their index fingers are quicker on their feet, offering a simple way of predicting who will win a race, researchers have found.
The discovery could be a boon for parents wondering whether to shell out large sums on coaching - by providing an indication of their daughter's chances of turning into a sports star.
Unlike men, most women have ring fingers that are shorter or the same length as their index fingers. Only a few have longer ring fingers.
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'I didn't believe this stuff' The finding adds to evidence that the ratio between the two fingers - not the length itself but their length relative to each other - is associated with a number of different personality traits, which include sexuality, fertility, intelligence, aggressiveness and musical ability.
The difference is believed to be linked to the level of the male hormone testosterone, to which the foetus is exposed in the womb. Scientists have suggested that the higher the level of testosterone, the more masculine the resulting foetus is likely to be, with its associated traits of strength, fertility and mathematical ability.
Unfortunately, while a longer ring finger is associated with some desirable traits, such as musical skill, a longer index finger is associated with others, such as intelligence, past research has shown.
Professor Tim Spector, of the twin research and genetic epidemiology unit at St Thomas's Hospital in London, who conducted the latest study, said he had been sceptical about the claims.
"I didn't believe this stuff. Most of the studies were based on small numbers and the findings could easily be spurious," he said.
Professor Spector decided to test the claims because he had access to a large database of twins, on whom he has been conducting research for 20 years.
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