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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’t kiss.

Is kissing universal to all cultures? It might be today, but one 19th century African chief’s daughter got a fright when a British explorer tried to kiss her. Do prostitutes kiss? Julia Robert’s character in the 1990 film ‘Pretty Woman’ 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’s eating habits?

Mike Williams investigates.

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

Available now

18 minutes

Last on

Mon 5 May 2014 08:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 2 May 2014 18:32GMT
  • Sat 3 May 2014 13:32GMT
  • Sat 3 May 2014 22:32GMT
  • Mon 5 May 2014 01:32GMT
  • Mon 5 May 2014 08:32GMT

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