Neanderthals Likely Kissed,Suggesting Ancient Roots of Human Affection
LONDON – Scientists have resolute that kissing,a behavior long considered uniquely human,likely dates back at least 21.5 million years and was practiced by our evolutionary ancestors, including Neanderthals. The research, published today, suggests the intimate act wasn’t confined to Homo sapiens but was shared with our close relatives.
Researchers at the University of Oxford analyzed observations of kissing behaviors in extant primates – bonobos, chimpanzees, and orangutans – utilizing reports and confirming them with YouTube video evidence. This data was then cross-referenced with the evolutionary relationships between primate species, both living and extinct.
“The fact that humans kiss, the fact that we now have shown that Neanderthals very likely kissed, indicates that the two [species] are also likely to have kissed,” explained researcher Natalia Brindle.
The team’s findings pinpoint the emergence of kissing somewhere between 21.5 million and 16.9 million years ago, within the lineage of large apes. While the precise function of kissing remains debated, scientists propose it may have served to assess mate quality, increase reproductive success, or strengthen social bonds.
Dr. jake Brooker, a grate ape behavior expert at the University of Durham, who was not involved in the study, noted the widespread presence of kissing-like behaviors in various ape species supports a deep evolutionary origin. “Things that we think of as signatures of human life, like kissing, are not unique to us if we look closely at other animals,” he said.
The study acknowledges the cultural variations in kissing practices across human societies, but emphasizes the fundamental importance of emotional bonding throughout human history.Professor Penny Spikins, an archaeologist at the University of York, highlighted this point, stating, “It might be an image that seems a bit incongruous to our misplaced ideas of a rather ruthless and aggressive past, but really it should be no surprise that Neanderthals – and even Neanderthals and our own species together – kissed.”
The research offers a new viewpoint on the emotional lives of our ancestors and underscores the continuity of behaviors across the primate family tree.
