#primatology

#primatology

The findings, published on Wednesday in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior, reveal that, far from being a recent human cultural invention, kissing is an ancient trait deeply rooted in our biology. This is the first time anyone has taken a broad evolutionary lens to examine kissing. Our findings add to a growing body of work highlighting the remarkable diversity of sexual behaviors exhibited by our primate cousins, said Matilda Brindle, lead author of the study and an evolutionary biologist in the Department of Biology at Oxford, in a statement.

In 1960, at the age of 26, Jane Goodall ventured to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to study chimpanzees. Her discoveries were groundbreaking and her approach to fieldwork was revolutionary. She immersed herself in the chimps' daily lives and gave them names. Goodall became a tireless advocate for conservation in addition to one of the world's best-known primatologists.

Sarah Blaffer Hrdy proved that females were neither passive nor monogamous by default, demonstrating that female colobinae employed sexual counter-strategies to obscure paternity.

"Back then, all I wanted was to get back to the chimps. So if my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs."