What Are The Origins Of Kissing?

Several theories explain the origins of kissing; although the fact that not all human cultures kiss suggests that it is a learned, rather than an innate behaviour. One idea is that kissing stems from our early ancestors’ practice of feeding babies directly from the mother’s mouth. Another theory sees kissing as a means of evaluating who could be a potential mate.

Coming into close contact lets us smell a partner’s scent and pick up on subconscious clues about their genes. Finally, some believe that we kiss simply because it feels good: our lips are densely packed with nerve endings, making kissing intensely pleasurable.