source:  Depositphotos.com

“A kiss is still a kiss” is a line from the song “As Time Goes By,” from the 1942 film Casablanca.  The lyrics emphasize that despite changing times and circumstances, fundamental aspects of love—like kisses and sighs—remain essential:

“You must remember this   A kiss is still a kiss  A sigh is just a sigh The fundamental things apply  As time goes by  And when two lovers woo  They still say, “I love you” On that you can rely  No matter what the future brings  As time goes by…”

But have you ever wondered?   How did kissing evolve?  When?  Whom?

A great website, history.com, gives a partial answer.   “It’s possible it arose from behaviors associated with affection, such as grooming with the mouth…[among primates]”.   “Or when apes premasticate food and transfer it to their young”…    Or..”when couples graze lips they get the chance to swap olfactory cues (smells) about each other’s fitness or compatibility…”.

Guess what?  Neanderthals kissed!  (I have no idea how we know that!).  And Neanderthals cross-mated with Homo Sapiens, we know from our gene decoding.

Bottom line:  “….the reasons why smooching evolved remain a conundrum”.

Readers:  Do you have any theories?

By the way – kissing is not universal.  Inuit rub noses.  Maori exchange breaths.   Etc.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)