Kissing between humans and Neanderthals? Could be oral - anal contact too. Or neither.

Umm - I really do not know what to say here. There is a new incredibly exciting paper out on Neanderthal oral microbiomes.I saw some news stories about a new study on Neanderthal oral microbiomes. And one thing caught my eye - a claim about how the data provided evidence that Neanderthal's and humans were kissing each other.See for example the LA Times: Vegetarian Neanderthals? Extinct human relatives hid a mouthful of surprises - LA TimesThe scientists also managed to sequence the oldest microbial genome yet — a bug called Methanobrevibacter oralis that has been linked to gum disease. By looking at the number of mutations in the genome, the scientists determined it was introduced to Neanderthals around 120,000 years ago — near the edge of the time period when humans and Neanderthals were interbreedi ng, Weyrich said There are a few ways to swap this microbe between species, she pointed out: by sharing food, through parental care, or through kissing. “We really think that this suggests that Neanderthals and humans may have had a much friendlier relationship than anyone imagined,” Weyrich said. “Certainly if they’re swapping oral microorganisms — or swapping spit — it’s not these brute, rash-type encounters that people were suspecti ng happened during interbreeding. It’s really kind of friendly interactions.”And Redorbit:Neanderthals were vegetarian – and probably kissed early humansAnother surprise was the discovery of the near...
Source: The Tree of Life - Category: Microbiology Authors: Source Type: blogs