Scientist Terry Moore of the New York-based Radius Foundation explains in a three-minute presentation to a TED conference that he found out he’d been tying his laces the wrong way his whole life – and shows the audience why.

“I have reason to believe that many, if not most, of you are actually tying your shoes incorrectly,” Terry Moore says.

“I know that seems ludicrous.”

Speaking to the TED audience, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to “Ideas Worth Spreading”, Terry Moore says he made the discovery after buying a new pair of running shoes.

Terry Moore says that while the shoes were great, he disliked the laces, and so returned them to the store.

The store manager told him: “You’re tying them the wrong way.”

Terry Moore insists on going the other way, wrapping it in the opposite direction to usual, thus creating a stronger form

Terry Moore then uses the video presentation to pass on his newfound knowledge to the audience, demonstrating how to tie your shoe laces using the stronger method of bow tying.

Most of us are taught that after making the first bow, you wrap the lace in an anti-clockwise direction around it.

But Terry Moore insists on going the other way, wrapping it in the opposite direction to usual, thus creating a stronger form.

“It will come untied less often, and will let you down less often,” Terry Moore assures the audience.

[youtube zAFcV7zuUDA]