KISSING PASSES ON 80 MILLION BUGS -

BUT IT KEEPS YOU HEALTHY

As many as 80 million bacteria are transferred during a tensecond kiss, according to biologists

There is nothing as romantic as two lovers sharing a kiss. But scientists have come up with an evolutionary explanation which perhaps threatens to kill the passion.

Academics think that kissing helps partners share bacteria, shoring up their immune systems and enabling them to better fight disease.

As many as 80 million bacteria are transferred during a tensecond kiss, according to Dutch biologists.

Sharing those germs means both partners are equipped to ward off the infections they might introduce to each other passed down through the generations.

Overall, the study contradicts earlier research that placed this figure at 90 per cent.

'We suspect that perhaps Western ethnocentrism may be driving the common misconception that romantic-sexual kissing is a (near) universal,' the researchers write.

The scientists also wanted to find out if there were anything different between cultures that do and don't kiss.

They discovered that 'there is a direct relationship between the presence of kissing and the level of stratification within a society, with kissing present most frequently in complex societies.'

While the researchers don't appear to have any explanation for this, they do say that the urge isn't later on.

Humans carry trillions of bacteria in the body, which together make up a 'microbiota' - a complex mix of bugs which play a crucial role in digesting food and warding off infections.

Remco Kort, from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research - or TNO - said his team set out to discover the evolutionary reason for kissing.

'Interestingly, the current explanations for the function of intimate kissing in humans include an important role for the microbiota present in the oral cavity, although to our knowledge, the exact effects of intimate kissing on the oral microbiota have never been studied,' he said. in our genes.

Our lips are one of the most sensitive parts of our bodies, with plenty of sensory neurons linked to the brain's pleasure centres.

Some believe it floods the brain with the love, security and comfort chemicals associated with breastfeeding.

And our ancestors probably weaned their babies by mouth-tomouth sharing of food, reinforcing the connection between sharing spit and pleasure.

Another idea is our foraging ancestors were attracted to red ripe fruit and so developed red lips to tempt sexual partners.

Kissing has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increase the bonding hormone oxytocin, so is good for our health and happiness.