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The ancient origins of kissing

It鈥檚 not just humans that kiss, animals and even our pre-historic ancestors did it.

Scientists at Oxford University in the UK now think that kissing evolved more than 21 million years ago, and it wasn鈥檛 humans that started it.

As a behaviour, it has no obvious survival or reproductive benefits but it鈥檚 seen across the world, in humans and animals alike.

Victoria Gill, our Science Correspondent, tells us all about the research and what we know about if animals can be romantic like humans can.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Benita Barden
Editor: Verity Wilde

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12 minutes

Last on

Sat 22 Nov 2025 03:50GMT
麻豆社 World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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  • Fri 21 Nov 2025 18:50GMT
    麻豆社 World Service News Internet
  • Sat 22 Nov 2025 03:50GMT
    麻豆社 World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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