“Darling, come over here and sit next to me.”
“Why?”
“I’ve had an idea that I think you’ll like. Open your mouth a little bit – that’s it! Now I’m going to initiate a non-aggressive, mouth to mouth contact, with lip movement, but no transfer of food.”
“Well, it doesn’t sound so exciting, but if it makes you happy then I’ll give it a go. What do you call it?”
“A kiss.”
*
This week, some scientists studying the evolution of kissing in animals published some interesting research. They found that many animals, including polar bears, chimpanzees and bonobos kissed. They also noted that Neanderthals and humans must have kissed each other, since Neanderthals had the same bacteria in their saliva as modern humans do. This suggests that they had been swapping saliva, even after they became separate species.
The scientists suggested that the most likely date for the evolution of the kiss amongst apes like us is about 21 million years ago.
It is not known why the kiss evolved. Perhaps the exchange of saliva also involved an exchange of information. You may have been able to taste some illness or unfortunate condition in the cute, lumpy Neanderthal you were kissing at the caveman disco, and decided that the relationship should end with just a kiss.
“Leave me
one thing before we part,
A kiss to
build a dream on…
Oh, give me
your lips for just one moment,
And my
imagination will make that moment live.”
From Harry
Ruby song, “A Kiss to Build a Dream On”, performed by Louis Armstrong
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