Episodes

  • #241 College Football Then and Now with Todd Reesing

    #241 College Football Then and Now with Todd Reesing
    Jul 11 2026
    Historian Ben Baumann speaks with former Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing about his college football career, the experience of leading one of the most successful teams in Kansas history, and how the game has changed over time.
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    37 mins
  • #240 The History and Transformation of College Sports in America

    #240 The History and Transformation of College Sports in America
    Jul 10 2026
    In this episode of Roots of Reality, historian Ben Baumann explores the history of college sports in America, tracing its evolution from Ivy League football fields and early university traditions to the modern era of television contracts, NIL deals, conference realignment, and athlete compensation, while examining what these changes reveal about the broader relationship between community, identity, money, and culture in American society.
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    10 mins
  • #239 The Future of AI with Dr. Sean O hEigeartaigh

    #239 The Future of AI with Dr. Sean O hEigeartaigh
    Feb 8 2026
    Historian Ben Baumann speaks with Dr. Sean O hEigeartaigh about the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the myths and risks surrounding it, and why this moment may be remembered as a turning point in human history.
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • #238 Will Humanity Ever Be the Same After AI?

    #238 Will Humanity Ever Be the Same After AI?
    Feb 6 2026
    In this episode of Roots of Reality, historian Ben Baumann explores artificial intelligence through the long arc of human technological history, asking whether AI represents just another transformative tool, or a turning point that could fundamentally reshape work, society, and what it means to be human.
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    9 mins
  • #237 Limiting the Influence of Money in Politics with Jeff Clements

    #237 Limiting the Influence of Money in Politics with Jeff Clements
    Dec 22 2025
    Historian Ben Baumann and Jeff Clements, co-founder and CEO of American Promise, discuss the critical issue of money in politics and the movement to pass the For Our Freedom Amendment.
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    30 mins
  • #236 Does Money Rule the World?

    #236 Does Money Rule the World?
    Dec 22 2025
    Historian Ben Bauman explores the pervasive influence of money throughout history, particularly in relation to democracy and civic responsibility. He discusses how wealth has shaped political power from ancient times to the modern era, highlighting the ongoing struggle against the corrupting influence of money in public life. The conversation culminates in a critical examination of the current state of American democracy, the role of social media, and the ethical implications of wealth in society.
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    12 mins
  • #235 The Wow! Signal at 50: Revisiting a Cosmic Mystery with Dr. Abel Mendez

    #235 The Wow! Signal at 50: Revisiting a Cosmic Mystery with Dr. Abel Mendez
    Dec 20 2025
    In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann speaks with planetary astrobiologist Dr. Abel Méndez about the search for extraterrestrial life, the science behind the WOW! signal, and the challenges of detecting extraterrestrial intelligence.
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    46 mins
  • #234 Beyond Earth: Exoplanets and Habitability with Dr. Eliza Kempton

    #234 Beyond Earth: Exoplanets and Habitability with Dr. Eliza Kempton
    Dec 20 2025
    In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann and astronomer Dr. Eliza Kempton discuss the diversity of exoplanets, the search for potentially habitable worlds, and what studying these planets reveals about Earth’s uniqueness and the possibilities for life elsewhere in the galaxy.
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    43 mins