Recent research unveils that the behavior of kissing could have originated between ape ancestors as far back as 16.9 to 21.5 million years ago in Africa. Scientists from leading universities conducted an in-depth analysis of primate behaviors, suggesting that kissing precedes human existence and likely happened even between Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens. This intriguing study positions kissing not as a romantic gesture, but as an evolutionary practice of non-aggressive mouth-to-mouth contact within species, characterized by lip or mouth movements without any food exchange involved. The researchers involved scrutinized decades of field studies and archival footage to distinguish between what can be categorized as 'kissing' and non-kissing behaviors in various AfroEurasian monkeys and apes. Their findings indicate that this intimate behavior existed among common ancestors shared with chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans long before the evolution of modern humans. Furthermore, the study suggests an 84% likelihood that Neanderthals engaged in kissing and may have even kissed Homo Sapiens during their coexistence. A significant piece of evidence supporting this claim lies in the shared oral microbes between these ancient species, which can only be explained through close mouth-to-mouth interactions. As a result, the origins of kissing may be deeply rooted in our evolutionary past, signifying its importance beyond mere affection in human connection.