Romantic films often depict the moment of the first kiss as a turning point in an emotional relationship. But can this experience truly signify the presence of genuine love? A more fundamental question is why we attribute so much value to this behavior in the first place. Possible Roots in Childhood One theory suggests that our desire for oral contact has roots in childhood memories. From our earliest days, our minds have established a direct connection between lips and pleasurable emotions. Another hypothesis traces back to human evolution. In the past, mothers would chew food after weaning their children and then transfer it directly to the child's mouth—a method known as "pre-mastication," which was common among human ancestors. The Role of Skin Sensitivity The lips are considered one of the most sensitive areas of our bodies and are among the few parts that typically remain bare. Professor William Yanagovak, an anthropology expert, has discovered an interesting correlation: "The amount of body coverage has a direct relationship with the frequency of kissing. In societies where people wear more clothing, kissing is also more common." He explains: "Among hunter-gatherer tribes that live naked, mouth-to-mouth kissing is usually not observed—except for the Arctic Inuit, who are the only exception. What is sometimes called an 'Eskimo kiss' is actually the rubbing of lips, not noses." Why Only the Face? Yanagovak continues: "In tropical regions where people live unclothed, the entire surface of the body is available for sensory-emotional communication. However, when clothing is worn, only the face remains as an accessible area." An Evolutionary Purpose? Kissing may also have biological objectives. Close proximity to another person allows for the reception of signals from their body odor. This explains why romantic kissing is not prevalent in all cultures. Astonishing Global Statistics According to Yanagovak's research on 168 different cultures, only 46 percent of them engage in romantic mouth-to-mouth kissing—less than half of the world! He concludes: "Deep emotions can be expressed without kissing. However, there is an interesting pattern: in more complex societies, kissing is more common." Historical Origins The oldest written records of behaviors resembling kissing date back to 3,500 years ago in Vedic Sanskrit texts. Sheryl R. Krishnamoorthy, author of "The Science of Kissing," states: "Many people around the world engage in lip-to-lip kissing as we know it today." Cultural Diversity Different cultures exhibit various forms of expressing affection: - In Malaysia, Charles Darwin observed a behavior where a woman sits on the ground, and a man bends down to quickly smell her—an instance of receiving the scent of a partner's body. - In the Trobriand Islands near New Guinea, lovers sit facing each other and kiss each other's eyelashes. Krishnamoorthy explains: "For many of us, these actions are not romantic, but for those cultures, they are. All these behaviors signify trust and allow for close intimacy—ways to bond with those who matter to us." Why Don't Animals Kiss? Kissing, characterized by pressing lips together, is unique to humans. If this behavior has evolutionary purposes, why do we not see it in animals? Melissa Hogenboom addressed this in a BBC program (2015): "One of the motivations for getting close to a partner's face is to smell them. Scent provides important information about diet, health, mood, and emotional bonding. Many animals have a stronger sense of smell, so they do not need to be in close proximity." Will Kissing Continue? Krishnamoorthy believes: "Throughout history, kissing has experienced ups and downs for various reasons—including concerns about diseases. There have been rulers who banned kissing for common people because they viewed it as a privilege of the upper classes." She concludes: "But one thing is certain: despite all the challenges, prohibitions, and diseases, kissing has always maintained its place."