Did humans and Neanderthals kiss? Study suggests they did

Technology Nov 23, 2025

Turns out, kissing might be way older than we thought.
A new University of Oxford study says this intimate gesture could go back 20 million years—long before modern humans—and that Neanderthals probably kissed too.

How did scientists figure this out?

Researchers looked at primates like chimpanzees and bonobos, who also kiss.
Using modeling and microbe data, they found humans and Neanderthals share oral bacteria likely passed through kissing.
Kissing wasn't just romantic—it may have helped our ancestors check if a mate was healthy.

Why does it matter?

This discovery means kissing is part of our deep evolutionary story, not just a human thing.
It shows how close connections—like sharing a kiss—helped shape relationships in our ancestral past.