First kiss dates back 21M years
5 days ago
- #kissing
- #anthropology
- #evolution
- The mouth-on-mouth kiss evolved more than 21 million years ago, likely practiced by the common ancestor of humans and great apes.
- Neanderthals may have kissed, and evidence suggests humans and Neanderthals exchanged saliva for thousands of years.
- Kissing is observed across the animal kingdom, including in wolves, prairie dogs, polar bears, and albatrosses.
- Scientists defined kissing as non-aggressive, directed oral-oral contact with lip movement and no food transfer.
- The study could not determine why kissing evolved, but theories include grooming behavior and assessing partner compatibility.
- Kissing behavior in humans shares evolutionary roots with non-human relatives, highlighting its biological significance.