From first love to lasting love, the kiss is a symbol of romance for many of us.But it turns out the origins of our keenness for kissing may not be quite as romantic as we thought.
Scientists now believe that the kiss may have had a far less alluring purpose – to spread germs.
And we're not talking the common cold. Specifically, indulging in a spot of saliva-swapping may have been the key to healthier offspring, with our male ancestors kindly passing their women a dangerous virus to allow them to build up an immunity.
Cytomegalovirus isn't dangerous to us grown-ups. But if caught while pregnant can kill or harm the unborn child and by passing the virus via saliva, the immunity gained puts an end to such problems.
Researcher Dr Colin Hendrie from the University of Leeds, said: "Female inoculation with a specific male's cytomegalovirus is most efficiently achieved through mouth-to-mouth contact and saliva exchange, particularly where the flow of saliva is from the male to the typically shorter female.
"Kissing the same person for about six months provides optimum protection," he wrote in the journal Medical Hypotheses.
And so, as the romance blossoms and the kisses become more passionate, the lucky lady cuts the chances of infecting her unborn baby.
Whatever the truth, it sounds like a good enough excuse to us.
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