The Science of Kissing
Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, tomorrow I'll miss you. - Paul McCartneyI never realized how many words there were for "kissing":
Smooching, Making Out, Sucking Face, First Base, Pecking, French Kissing, Tongue Wrestling, Planting One On, Tonsil Hockey, Swapping Spit, Tonsil Tennis, Tonguing, Necking, Gum Swapping, Locking Lips, Smacking, Canoodling, Galocher (French), Pashing On (Australian), Snogging (British). And then of course there is the "X" as in XOXO.
In my research on the biology of kissing, I learned that scientists have discovered many important reasons for the act of kissing. We don’t do it by accident. This short PBS video will describe the science behind the kiss and answer the questions:
- Why do women wear red lipstick?
- Why do 2/3 of us tilt our heads to the right when we kiss?
- Why do we close our eyes when we kiss?
- How do our brains respond to kissing?
- How does kissing affect our long-term health?
- Why do we use an "X" to represent a kiss?
Check out this 5-minute PBS video on The Science of Kissing. It’s fascinating.And if you want to learn more about this topic, you can read the book The Science of Kissing by Sheril Kirshenbaum, Director of The University of Texas at Austin Energy Poll, The McCombs School of Business Energy Management and Innovation Center.Kirshenbaum answers the questions:
- When did humans begin to kiss?
- Why is kissing integral to some cultures and alien to others?
- Do good kissers make the best lovers?
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