KISSING
A tumblr to share photos and stories related to my book The Science of Kissing.
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I’m a long time blogger for Discover Mag, but brand new to Tumblr. So far, I’m impressed with how easy it is to navigate and share. For those not already familiar with my work, I’m a biologist turned science writer. My first book Unscientific America (co-authored by Chris Mooney) came out last year and The Science of Kissing debuts early in January. As the publication date gets closer, I’ll be using this site to share material from the book-including some details that didn’t make it into the manuscript!SoK is a look at this near universal behavior from many lenses of science. I consider why humans got started and how our bodies respond to the experience. I even bring readers into a neuroscience laboratory to see what we might discover about kissing and the brain.
This site will feature related updates and events, as well as photo submissions from readers. Anyone interested in contributing to the growing gallery of kisses from across time, space, and species should email me at srkirshenbaum@yahoo.com.
Thanks for your interest and I hope you enjoy The Science of Kissing!
XX,
SK
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This submission features a special story that makes me smile. Steve Silberman is a science writer for Wired and other magazines, and his husband Keith is a middle-school science teacher in the Bay Area. This kiss took place during their marriage, which Steve describes in his piece Happily Ever After featured in the Shambhala Sun. Here’s an excerpt:
Suddenly Keith and I found ourselves at the flash point of a raging culture war. Did we have to call it marriage? Wasn’t that an unnecessary provocation for those who take that word to mean getting to the church on time? What about framing our commitment with a less confrontational term like “civil union?”
Certain words, however, have alchemical power. A humble noun or verb can become a transformative mantra. Embracing the word “marriage” had a subtle but profound effect on our relationship, like unlocking a door to a secret garden that only other married people know about. Now our job was to care for that garden together—to nourish it, weed it when necessary, and give it the compassion and space it needs to grow and flourish.
Read the full piece–and happy ending–here. Congratulations Steve and Keith!
