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The Kiss

Why do humans kiss? You might think it is a universal act, something that we all do. But when early European explorers travelled the world, they met tribes that didn鈥檛 kiss.

Is kissing universal to all cultures? It might be today, but one 19th century African chief鈥檚 daughter got a fright when a British explorer tried to kiss her. Do prostitutes kiss? Julia Robert鈥檚 character in the 1990 film 鈥楶retty Woman鈥� said no to kissing clients. A former sex worker in London tells us about her experiences. What happens to your body when you kiss? Your pupils dilate, your pulse races - hormones play havoc. Is the first kiss special? Secretive in Egypt, passionate in Ghana, romantic in China, coy in the US - we hear about people's first kisses and what they meant to them. Why do we kiss? There is no single answer, but many bizarre theories: did it evolve from children鈥檚 eating habits?

Mike Williams investigates.

(Image of two women kissing at a festival, credit AFP/Getty Images)

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18 minutes

Last on

Mon 5 May 2014 08:32GMT
麻豆社 World Service Online

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  • Fri 2 May 2014 18:32GMT
    麻豆社 World Service Online
  • Sat 3 May 2014 13:32GMT
    麻豆社 World Service Online
  • Sat 3 May 2014 22:32GMT
    麻豆社 World Service Online
  • Mon 5 May 2014 01:32GMT
    麻豆社 World Service Online
  • Mon 5 May 2014 08:32GMT
    麻豆社 World Service Online

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