Scientists have found evidence that kissing was common among humans and Neanderthals.
Researchers discovered that Neanderthals—ancient humans who went extinct around 40,000 years ago—probably kissed each other.
This finding supports previous evidence that humans and Neanderthals exchanged oral microbes.
According to a new study, kissing seems to be a very ancient behavior dating back to 21 million years ago.
According to Newsweek, this finding comes from research by scientists at Oxford University and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), who found evidence that kissing evolved in the common ancestors of humans and great apes during this period. In fact, they suggest that Neanderthals—our extinct relatives—probably enjoyed kissing as well.
Kissing can be observed across the animal kingdom, but as the research team explains, exactly how it came about is an evolutionary puzzle, as its biological benefits are not clear.
Katherine Talbot, the study’s author, says that although kissing seems to be a common or universal behavior, it has only been recorded in 46% of human cultures, and its norms and social contexts vary greatly across societies. This raises the question of whether kissing is an evolved behavior or a cultural invention. This is the first step towards answering that question.