International Kissing Day: 9 famous kisses

GlobalPost

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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