The apes are us — the latest version of a critter that has evolved to be curious. This thirst of ours seems to be hard-wired — to know ourselves, to find truth and to seek beauty in the universe. So much of scientific understanding can be traced back to the curiosity of a bunch of clever apes.

Clever Apes is a nano-sized show with a cosmic scope. It tells the stories of the Chicago-area’s rich scientific community, its quirky characters and the fascinating, often mind-bending questions they’re out to answer. Today we get the first monthly dispatch from the frontiers of science, without ever leaving the Chicago region. “Like” us on Facebook, follow @CleverApes on Twitter, or email with feedback. And of course, subscribe to the podcast. Keep up with evolving science from Clever Apes.