Short Wave What’s In A Kiss? 21 Million Years Of Evolution
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Nov 28, 2025 
Scott Detrow, a radio journalist and NPR contributor, dives into the fascinating world of kissing and its deep evolutionary roots. Discover how kissing dates back to our ape ancestors, including Neanderthals, around 21 million years ago. The conversation also uncovers surprising findings about moss spores that survived the challenging conditions of space for nine months, along with fresh insights into the collision that formed our moon, reshaping theories about the origins of Earth's water. It's a blend of human history and cosmic exploration!
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Kissing Is An Ancient Primate Trait
- Kissing, defined as non-aggressive mouth-to-mouth contact not involving food, is widespread among primates and likely ancient.
- Matilda Brindle's phylogenetic analysis suggests kissing existed in the common ancestor of large apes ~21 million years ago.
Neanderthals Probably Kissed Humans
- The phylogenetic mapping indicates Neanderthals likely kissed as well, implying intimate contact between species.
- This supports a more personal view of human–Neanderthal interactions alongside genetic evidence of interbreeding.
Moss Spores Survived Nine Months In Space
- Researchers sent moss spores to space to test survival under vacuum, radiation, and temperature extremes as a model for long-term space travel.
- After nine months in space over 80% of spores germinated back on Earth, suggesting spores might survive about 15 years in space conditions.