Paleontologist Bruce Lieberman tracks the history of steam-powered locomotives for answers to huge questions about natural evolution and why species die out.

What if you could receive counseling and psychotherapy in a forest, log cabin or Sigmund Freud’s office — maybe from a therapist who also happens to be a wizard, an Earth mother, a trickster or, uh, maybe even a furry? Well, you can! A new virtual reality system developed by University of Kansas researchers provides counseling in a setting that is therapeutic, calming and restorative, where people can interact with trusted figures.

John Symons, professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas, explores social, technological and existential concerns relating to artificial intelligence. A native of Cork, Ireland, Symons is an expert in Large Language Models, which he argues should be seen less as an existential threat and more as something to be excited about.

Anthropologist John Hoopes has made it his personal and professional mission to ferret out pseudo-science in the field of archaeology. Specializing in the Mayan culture spanning the conjunction of North, Central and South America, Hoopes distinguishes between actual archaeology and “the stuff that you find in the grocery checkout counter or the airport book rack.”

Moviemakers have pigeonholed Black male teachers into stereotypical tropes for years. Education scholar Daniel Thomas III has researched popular films featuring Black male teachers and found many can boil down to a few main clichés, some of which date back centuries.

Politicians don’t say "I'm sorry" for anything anymore. We explore why with Brett Bricker, a national-champion debater and debate coach who researches argumentation and political rhetoric.

Seen by some today as a bastion of women’s rights, Kansas once locked up more than 5,000 women for contracting venereal disease, thanks to a law that seems to have been applied only to women. Guest Nikki Perry, author of “Policing Sex in the Sunflower State,” explains how this happened.

Basketball coaches have a million tips on how to be a better shooter. Guest Dimitrije Cabarkapa says scientific evidence shows which are best. Keeping your elbow tucked in, bending your knees — data show these “coaching cues” are better than others.

There’s been a drop in how much time people around the world spend in face-to-face interaction, but guest Jeffrey Hall says don’t blame social media. It might be our jobs and commutes taking time from in-person get-togethers.

According to Valery Dzutsati, visiting assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas, the attempted conquest of Ukraine has exposed Vladimir Putin. But he says the Ukraine invasion may have been inevitable, even if Putin weren’t in charge. Dzutsati is a native of European Russia and an expert in politics and conflict in Eurasia and Eastern Europe. He’s also likely on Putin’s hit list.