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Kissing: A 21-Million-Year Evolution of Connection

2/16/2026

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Story summary
  • On Valentine's Day, Matilda Brindle of the University of Oxford discussed the perplexing nature of kissing.
  • Kissing carries risks such as bacteria transfer.
  • Kissing is observed in many animals, including prairie dogs and polar bears.
  • She traced kissing back to a common ape ancestor dating to about 21 million years ago.
  • She identified two types of kissing: platonic and sexual.