Roots of Reality

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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 sta...

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.

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.

Historian Ben Baumann explores humanity’s enduring question of whether we are alone in the universe and what that search reveals about ourselves. Tracing the idea from ancient philosophy to modern astronomy, the episode examines how scientific discovery deepens existential questions about meaning, mortality, and purpose. It asks whether the search for life beyond Earth is ultimately a search to un...

In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann and Jamie Neikrie, Legislative Director of Issue One, explore examples of constitutional leadership, the role of civil society, and how past challenges can inform the future.

Historian Ben Baumann reflects on how America’s past moments of courage can illuminate a path for a successful future. This episode examines rising polarization, declining civic education, and the expanding influence of artificial intelligence on public trust and our sense of reality, asking what history can teach us about confronting fear, resisting simple narratives, and choosing a future ground...

In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann talks with Ben Radford, Deputy Editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine and Research Fellow at the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Together, they discuss Radford’s experiences investigating ghosts, the psychological and cultural roots of ghost beliefs, and how these beliefs persist and evolve despite modern technology.

From ancient ghost stories to modern UFO sightings, historian Ben Baumann explores humanity’s enduring fascination with the supernatural, why people believe, how those beliefs reflect our fear of death, and what they reveal about the very nature of being human.

In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann talks with Sabrina Schaeffer, Vice President of Public Affairs at the R Street Institute about how freedom in America has changed, whether Americans still truly value freedom today, and the challenges of defending freedom in a polarized time.

From roaming hunter-gatherers to modern democracies, historian Ben Baumann traces how freedom has evolved across thousands of years of human history and why knowledge and critical thinking are key to preserving freedom today.

In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann talks with musician Plumes about his experiences playing music for animals, the connection between humans and animals, and why people need to show greater care and compassion for them.

Historian Ben Baumann talks about the historical relationship between humans and animals, as well as the modern risks animals face.

In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann speaks with Rep. Don Bacon about his approach to crafting bipartisan legislation, the challenges he’s faced in a divided Congress, and why cooperation still matters for America’s future.

Historian Ben Baumann examines whether bipartisanship is still possible in America, tracing America’s history of compromise from its founding to today’s era of deep political polarization.

In this episode of Roots of Reality Experiences, historian Ben Baumann speaks with astrophysicist Dr. Ethan Siegel about the origins of the universe, why scientific skepticism matters, and how our understanding of the cosmos may evolve in the future.

Historian Ben Baumann explores the timeless question of why the universe exists, challenging the belief in certainties, and encouraging listeners to embrace the unknown by creating their own meaning in a mysterious cosmos.

In this episode, Ben Baumann discusses the transformative power of learning history, emphasizing the importance of understanding historical context rather than memorizing random facts and dates. He critiques the prevalence of pseudohistory and the influence of unqualified individuals on historical narratives. Baumann advocates for a comprehensive approach to learning history, including big history...

In this Roots of Reality Experiences episode, historian Ben Baumann speaks with Jason Paige about his work producing commercial jingles, his iconic performance of the Pokémon theme song, and the impact of the musical "Rent" on his life and career.

Historian Ben Baumann talks about the history of popular television theme songs from the 1960s to the 2000s and how they impacted audiences.

In this Roots of Reality Experiences episode, historian Ben Baumann interviews the lead singer of Black Lab, Paul Durham, about his humble journey to becoming a professional musician, his experiences overcoming challenges in his career, and his work on the Spider-Man soundtrack.