International Kissing Day: 9 famous kisses
William and Kate, the presumptive future monarchs of the United Kingdom, kiss in front of thousands of cheering fans who flocked to Buckingham Palace in April 2011 to wish the newlywed couple well. Not everyone in attendance was jubilant, however; it seems that 3-year old bridesmaid, Grace Van Cutsem, was a little grumpy that day.
A kiss is just a kiss…or is it?
Today, July 6, marks International Kissing Day. Why not spread the love by giving a few more x's and o's?
Before you lock lips check out 10 of our favorite facts on kissing:
- The word “kiss” comes from the German word “kussjan.”
- Engaging in lip lock for one minute burns 26 calories.
- Kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony can be traced to ancient Roman tradition where a kiss was used to sign contract.
- Two-thirds of us tilt our heads to the right when we kiss, and it’s not correlated with right-handedness.
- A man is far more likely to prefer sloppy tongue kisses than a woman. The added testosterone from his saliva may serve to enhance her libido over time.
- The world record longest kiss belongs to Nikola Matovic and Kristina Reinhart (both German) who kissed for 32 hr 7 min 14 sec in Hamburg on Feb 13th-14th, 2009.
- Humans aren't the only animals that kiss. Great apes press their lips together to express excitement, affection, or reconciliation.
- Some studies show people remember more of the details about a first kiss than first sexual experience.
- Kissing reacts like a drug in our bodies, and can promote dopamine – the same neurotransmitter stimulated from addictive drugs like cocaine.
- 50 percent of all people have their first kiss before they are 14.
Who are you going to kiss today? Tweet us your International Kissing Day photos @GlobalPost
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