The Science of Kissing
There's nothing like a romantic kiss.
Feb 27, 2012
CNN
By Sheril Kirshenbaum
February 14, 2012
There's nothing like a romantic kiss. It is the climax of every great love story and an experience that has motivated poets and musicians for thousands of years. It's also a wonderful example of a behavior that is both nature and nurture. Humans have an instinctive drive to connect through kissing, but the style and expression is shaped by our culture and personal experiences.
Beneath the surface, a kiss serves as the ultimate litmus test for a relationship. It can urge us to pursue a deeper connection with someone special or act as a warning to back off when something just doesn't feel right. Science is finally beginning to unravel the mystery of how this happens.
While we don't often think of them in this way, human lips are the body's most exposed erogenous zone. Packed with sensitive nerve endings, even a light brush sends a cascade of information to our brains helping us to decide whether we want to continue and what might happen next.
Lip contact involves five of our 12 cranial nerves as we engage all of our senses to learn more about a partner. Electric impulses bounce between the brain, lips, tongue and skin, which can lead to the feeling of being on a natural "high" because of a potent cocktail of chemical messengers involved.
Read More
Feb 27, 2012
CNN
By Sheril Kirshenbaum
February 14, 2012
There's nothing like a romantic kiss. It is the climax of every great love story and an experience that has motivated poets and musicians for thousands of years. It's also a wonderful example of a behavior that is both nature and nurture. Humans have an instinctive drive to connect through kissing, but the style and expression is shaped by our culture and personal experiences.
Beneath the surface, a kiss serves as the ultimate litmus test for a relationship. It can urge us to pursue a deeper connection with someone special or act as a warning to back off when something just doesn't feel right. Science is finally beginning to unravel the mystery of how this happens.
While we don't often think of them in this way, human lips are the body's most exposed erogenous zone. Packed with sensitive nerve endings, even a light brush sends a cascade of information to our brains helping us to decide whether we want to continue and what might happen next.
Lip contact involves five of our 12 cranial nerves as we engage all of our senses to learn more about a partner. Electric impulses bounce between the brain, lips, tongue and skin, which can lead to the feeling of being on a natural "high" because of a potent cocktail of chemical messengers involved.
Read More