Why Do Humans Kiss? (It's Not Just Romance)

Why do humans press their lips together – and why don't all cultures do it? From 80 million bacteria per kiss to 4,500-year-old clay tablets, kissing apes and Neanderthal microbes: the kiss is far older and stranger than romance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHAPTERS 0:00 The strangest habit 1:03 Not everyone kisses 2:32 Kissing apes 3:46 Why the lips? 5:14 The kiss test 6:40 The bond 8:04 Your turn ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Animated illustrations are simplified and partly dramatized; see the sources below for the scientific evidence: Kort et al. (2014), Microbiome – bacteria transferred by kissing. doi:10.1186/2049-2618-2-41 Jankowiak, Volsche & Garcia (2015), American Anthropologist – romantic kissing in 46% of 168 cultures Arbøll & Rasmussen (2023), Science – the ancient history of kissing. doi:10.1126/science.adf0512 Brindle, West & Talbot (2025), Evolution and Human Behavior – kissing in the ape family tree de Waal & van Roosmalen (1979), Behav Ecol Sociobiol – reconciliation kisses in chimpanzees Weyrich et al. (2017), Nature – Neanderthal dental calculus. doi:10.1038/nature21674 Penfield & Boldrey (1937), Brain – the sensory homunculus Pelto, Zhang & Habicht (2010), Maternal & Child Nutrition – premastication Wlodarski & Dunbar (2013), Archives of Sexual Behavior – functions of kissing Güntürkün (2003), Nature – head-turning when kissing. doi:10.1038/421711a Lobmaier et al. (2018), Proc R Soc B – immune genes and body odour. doi:10.1098/rspb.2018.0566 Floyd et al. (2009), Western Journal of Communication – kissing, stress and relationship satisfaction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #AncientHumans #WhyDoWeKiss #Evolution #Anthropology #HumanBehavior #Psychology #HumanHistory #Kissing #Neanderthals #Bonobos #ScienceFacts #Documentary