October 4, 2011
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The Weird Science of a Kiss
Apparently there is a lot of science behind the popular act of kissing.I just read an article in USAToday that stated there’s a chemical basis for what happens when our bodies meet at the lips. There is even a book about the the topic by scientist Sheril Kirshenbaum called “The Science of Kissing.”
“There really is a chemical basis for falling in love,” Kirshenbaum said . “I don’t think trying to understand it takes any of the romance out of the equation.”
Knowing some of the chemical and hormonal reasons for kissing doesn’t spoil the mystery, in her research, Kirshenbaum found literature that explores the differences between how men and women approach kissing.
She pointed out that women report that a kiss is an important gauge of compatibility for them, while men often view kissing as a “means to an end.”
Scientifically, Kirshenbaum said that may be connected to the limits of female reproduction, which biologically makes women want to find better mates because they cannot have an unlimited number of children.
Often, she said, a kiss can provide a window into long-term compatibility. “A first kiss is nature’s ultimate litmus test.”
What do you think?
