13 Facts About Kissing You Definitely Need To Know

The word “kiss” needs no introduction. An neither does it need any description. But I am pretty sure none of you know these crazy facts about kissing. Read on to know some pretty awesome stuff:

1. It can boost your mood instantly

The levels of dopamine- one of the most important neurotransmitters, spike during kissing, leading to a rush of elation and craving and can also result in the obsessive thoughts that many of us experience with a new romance – almost like an addiction.

And no wonder: This neurotransmitter is involved in stimulating the same part of our brains as cocaine, making us want more, and feeling energized. People whose level of dopamine gets really high even tend to lose their appetites or sleep – the same “symptoms” commonly described when “falling in love.”

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2. The longest kiss recorded is 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds

It was achieved by Ekkachai Tiranarat and Laksana Tiranarat (both Thailand) at an event organised by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Pattaya, in Pattaya, Thailand, on 12-14 February 2013.

They must possess some seriously strong facial muscles!

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3. One kiss requires the coordination of a total of 146 muscles

This includes 34 facial muscles and 112 postural muscles. That is quite a serious workout!

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4. Our love for kissing come from… rats?

An ancient rat-like creature called Eomaia scansoria, which lived sometime between 75 and 125 million years ago, is the common ancestor for both mice and humans. Kazushige Touhara and colleagues at the University of Tokyo believe that our affinity for kisses descends from this ancient rat. The science team theorizes that this creature would rub noses with a mate to sample his or her pheromones and signal desire. So basically, you might say that when you kiss, you are actually behaving like rodents!

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5. Origin of the word “kiss”

The word “kiss” comes from the Old English word cyssan, which technically means “to kiss.” No one is completely positive where cyssan comes from, but it is thought that it represented the sound people make when they kiss.

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6. A career in kissing?

The study of kissing is called Philematology, and someone who studies kissing is called an Osculologist.

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7. 10 Percent Of The World Doesn’t Kiss

Would you believe me if I told you that there existed people who did not know about kissing? Mangaia Island, which is about 18 million years old, is the oldest island in the Pacific Ocean. The people here had never heard of kissing until the English introduced them to the practice in the 1700s.

Although as of today, 90% of the world enjoys the art of kissing, the rest 10% does not do so- for various reasons. For example, certain areas in Sudan believe that the mouth is the window to the soul, and they fear that it can be stolen by  mouth-to-mouth contact.

Eskimos “kiss” by rubbing noses because they have their entire face covered, except for the eyes and nose, and had to invent their own way of displaying affection. This has become one of the most popular non-kissing kiss in the world.

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8. In 1910, France banned kissing in railways because it caused delays

 

Apparently, in the early 20th century, a lot of commuters used to get, well, intimate on the train, causing delays, leading to a ban on kissing in railways.

As if couples weren’t irritating enough already!

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9. Your kissing style originates in the womb

A German researcher observed over 100 couples and noted that two-thirds of them tilted their heads to the right, too. Experts think this instinct originates from the womb when we naturally tilted our heads to the right.

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10. The scientific term for French kissing is Cataglottism

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11. In Nevada, it is illegal to kiss with a mustache

Because it might tickle…?

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12. Kissing is good for your health

Kissing has long been thought to be a way to pass along bugs and thus strengthen the body’s defenses. Scientific research also says that kissing increases the levels of oxytocin, the body’s natural calming chemical and also increases endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals.

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13. Kissing burns 2 to 6 calories per minute

This would be everyone’s favourite workout!

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Somebody, somewhere in this huge wide world, is kissing their significant other… and you… you are busy reading its theory!

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