Image: Lt Victor Jorgensen/ US Archives
About This Quiz
It can be a sign of love, grief or respect worldwide. Kissing is a natural act that gives millions of people physical and psychological satisfaction, but where did it originate? Why does it make us feel good?
What percentage of people in the world kiss, according to anthropologists?
50 percent
75 percent
90 percent
Anthropologists report that 90 percent of the people in the world kiss.
Advertisement
Which of the following animals supports the theory that kissing is instinctive?
bonobo ape
Bonobo apes kiss one another frequently. They kiss to reduce tension after disputes, to reassure one another, to develop social bonds and sometimes for no clear reason at all. This supports the theory by some researchers that kissing is instinctive.
giraffe
gorilla
Advertisement
The act of rubbing noses or cheeks with someone is often referred to as:
an Eskimo kiss
Anthropologists theorize that rubbing noses or cheeks with someone, commonly known as an Eskimo kiss, grew from people smelling one another's faces much the way animals do.
a French kiss
an Aztec kiss
Advertisement
The Indian epic poem "Mahabharata" described:
kissing as an abomination punishable by death
kissing on the lips as a sign of affection
The Indian epic poem "Mahabharata" describes kissing on the lips as a sign of affection. The "Mahabharata" was passed down orally for several hundred years before being written down and standardized around A.D. 350.
kissing on the lips as a good way to become infected with a disease
Advertisement
What was a savolium in ancient Rome?
a deep kiss
The Romans had three different categories for kissing; a savolium was classified as a deep kiss.
a kiss on the cheek
a kiss on the lips
Advertisement
Where did the idea of "sealing with a kiss" originate?
ancient Egypt
ancient Greece
ancient Rome
Kisses were used to seal legal and business agreements in ancient Rome. This is probably the origin of the idea of a letter being "sealed with a kiss."
Advertisement
In the 13th century, the Catholic Church replaced the holy kiss with which of the following?
a holy hug
a pax board
The holy kiss was part of Catholic mass until 1528. In the 13th century, it was replaced with a pax board, a board the congregation kissed instead of kissing one another.
nothing
Advertisement
What one muscle does the basic kiss rely on the most?
the zygomaticus minor
the masseter
the orbicularis oris
The orbicularis oris is the muscle running around the outside of your mouth that allows for the basic kiss. It changes the shape of your mouth while you talk, and it puckers your lips when you kiss.
Advertisement
What percentage of people tip their head to the right while kissing?
one-half
two-thirds
About two-thirds of people tip their heads to the right while kissing. Scientists believe this preference starts before we're born, when we tilt our heads to the right in the womb.
nearly everyone
Advertisement
What illness is known as the kissing disease?
mononucleosis
Mononucleosis is often called "the kissing disease" because it is carried in saliva and can be spread through kissing.
meningitis
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Advertisement
What year did the first on-film kiss debut?
1896
An 1896 film by Thomas Edison featured the first kiss ever recorded in a motion picture, fittingly named "The Kiss."
1922
1968
Advertisement
Which particular kiss is believed by many to have condemned a man to death?
the Spider-Man kiss
the Prince Charming kiss
the Judas kiss
The Bible describes Judas Iscariot identifying Jesus Christ to his enemies by kissing him. Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus, who was then arrested and crucified.
Advertisement
The first interracial kiss on U.S. television featured which two characters?
Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura
On the show "Star Trek," Captain Kirk (played by William Shatner) and Lieutenant Uhura (played by Nichelle Nichols) shared the first interracial kiss shown on U.S. television.
Nurse Julia Baker and Dr. Thomas Sheppard
Special Agent Leroy Gibbs and Forensics Specialist Abby Sciuto
Advertisement
How costly did a kiss become for one woman visiting a museum?
$250
$2,600
$1,260
After kissing a painting by Jo Baer on display at an Oxford, England, museum, Ruth van Herpen was ordered to pay $1,260 in restoration costs to remove her lipstick mark. The kissing bandit struck in 1977, so we expect the restitution cost would be even higher today.
Advertisement
How many calories does the average person burn while kissing for one minute?
18 calories
26 calories
During a one-minute kiss, you could burn 26 calories. Time to revamp your workout routine!
78 calories
Advertisement
According to legend, kissing which stone could bring you good luck?
Blarney Stone
Plant a smooch on the Blarney Stone at the Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland, and you'll have good luck -- in the form of the gift of gab.
Wishing Stone
Rolling Stone
Advertisement
How much of life does the average person spend kissing?
two days
two weeks
The average person will spend two weeks of his or her life kissing, but no word on whether there's a chapped lip correlation.
two months
Advertisement
Mick Jagger (of The Rolling Stones' fame) has lips so famous that a lipstick imprint of his kiss sold for how much?
$160
$1,600
Mick Jagger's lips are so famous they have their own Facebook page. A lipstick imprint of a kiss he made sold for $1,600.
$2,800
Advertisement
Getting a smooch before your partner leaves for work could mean:
Your partner is cheating on you.
Your partner earns a good income.
Studies show a partner who kisses goodbye before he or she leaves for work averages a higher income than those who don't depart with a smooch.
Your partner doesn't mind morning breath.
Advertisement
If you sport a mustache, it's a good idea to review the law in which state?
Indiana
In Indiana, it's illegal for men with mustaches to "habitually kiss human beings."
Kansas
Michigan
Advertisement
You Got:
/20
Lt Victor Jorgensen/ US Archives
