Nitric Oxide Crisis
February 26, 2025 • EPISODE 254
Have you heard of nitric oxide and do you know why it matters? Learn more in this episode of Science LIVE as Roger Billings takes us back to 1972 and the General Motors Urban Vehicle Design Competition. Discover how he tackled the challenge of nitric oxide emissions and why his hydrogen-powered car had a cleaner exhaust than even the electric entries—with zero emissions!

About DrB
Dr. Roger Billings is a visionary innovator whose work has touched the lives of millions of students and transformed the landscape of education. Widely known as “DrB” to the countless kids who benefit from his groundbreaking Acellus learning system, Dr. Billings has dedicated his life to advancing education through technology.
As part of DrB’s lifelong commitment to supporting education, Science LIVE was launched as a way to “give back” by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.
Read more about DrB »
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »



I’m a really shy, awkward person, so I find it really impressive that Dr. Billings was not only willing to enter competitions, but also ask companies to help support or donate to his projects. It’s really hard to leave yourself open to people judging you or rejecting your ideas.
I feel like we definitely need more hydrogen cars in our lives.
I think we need more hydrogen cars! They seem so useful and would really benefit our earth ❤️
I loved this video!
loved this video!!!
Hydrogen powered cars would help our environment so much!
Why wont we just use hydrogen engines regularly.
Cool episode i loved it
wow!!
wowwww
amazing episode
I learned that Dr Rodger Billings invented a car that does not spread pollution and the engine was made out of lawn mower engine.
This was a GREAT episode!
I love how every science live I learn more and more about the Hydrogen Car!!
Wow, I enjoyed learning about cars.
Thank you for telling us about these Hydrogen cars
Here’s a $100 r-51💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰
Pollution free cars would definetly be good for the ecosystem.
I’ve probably watched this episode of Science Live 20 times 🥲
I really think hydrogen powered cars need to be more current in mainstream society
This one was very interesting! Thank you.
With, hydrogen powered cars.. it reduce the air pollution and such because it offers zero emission nd sustainability. That’s very interesting!
How does the new telescope supposed to capture and hold the data to map the entire sky?
DrB is so funny! I love watching these!
Cars are my passion. I really enjoyed this science live.
NEVER MIND I LOVE R-51 IN THIS ONE
Wow hydrogen powered cars are so cool.
I love watching these videos and learning!
Would hydrogen cars be a better alternative than other cars?
Pollution free cars would be very beneficial to the eco system.
I love that analogy…”You can see the invisible” with the microscope. Never thought about it that way.
As an automobile enthusiast, it’s good to see technology advancing towards hydrogen powered cars in today’s age where people are moving away from fossil fuels.
I feel like we definitely need more hydrogen cars in our lives, it would be so much better for the environment.
Hydrogen cars seem like a much better alternative to gas because of climate change and pollution!! Thank you!
I liked learning about the discovery of plant and animal cells and the cell theory.
We definitely need more hydrogen powered cars as an option
It’s a shame we don’t see more hydrogen-powered cars in the mainstream
We need hydrogen for cars.
Hydrogen powered cars seem super awesome!
Its cool that dr.Roger billings did so many things in his life!
Hydrogen-powered cars could be an alternative to gas-powered cars, they would be better for the environment!
I would love to learn more about hydrogen cars
i thought is was really funny when 51 was playing the instrument! and he said (well i am going to need to learn about this)
Woahhh literally amazing
Wow! R-51 is so cool.
Sometimes I feel like I’m not equipped to teach my daughter science lol! Always something new to learn with her and she has definitely grown to love science with the information from these
The hydrogen powered car is such an amazing invention!
My dad says this was the introduction of the exhaust gas recirculation system on internal combustion engines, he’s a mechanic.
I didn’t know our teeth was the only part of our body that wasn’t able to repair itself.
This video explains nitric oxide that can power a car with electric entries. It was so funny when the nitric oxide in the treasure box opened it up.
rubber bands to the rescue, it saved the day.
what was the company called?
After watching this video, I think that we should stary using hydrogen powered cars more.
I really hope Hydrogen powered things become more mainstream!
Wow I would love a hydrogen-powered car!
Hydrogen powered cars sound cool!
These Science Lives are really interesting and always teach me something awesome!
If cells make up living things, what makes up non-living things like rocks? Is it cells or something else?
I was also really interested in learning about Dr. Billings’ hydrogen car. I was wondering if he was able to give the car back to Volkswagen in the same condition he got it in?
This would be so much better than the cars we have now.
Somebody did sabotage you they wanted to win instead of you
It’s crazy to think we’ve come so far with technology and science a car can run on hydrogen.
love these videos!
Space is always interesting to learn about!!
wowwwww
R-51 is super funny in this video!
Science is cool!
Nitric Oxide turning into Nitric acid by adding water is very interesting
I enjoyed this video, I love learning new things every day.
I never knew you could run a car on something like hydrogen.
OMG, the amount of challenges you had, and solved is absolutely crazy to me.
I wish the government would stop holding better things back. Hydro cars would be such a good advancement for our society.
Never knew that cars can be powered by more than one thing.
You should have a race between a Hydrogen and an Electric car.
I hope hydrogen-powered cars will be wide-spread and mass produced in the future!
Tackling something like that sounds complicated. I’m really impressed!
Enjoyed the video. Hydrogen powered cars are cool.
Why don’t we see more things powered by other gases?
Never gave up
The more children parents have, the stronger their brains, which I do fully believe.
I really enjoyed the part about cells as well as learning about your experience with your hydrogen powered car.
Who was the person who discovered infrared lights?
Im going to ask for a microscope for Christmas. So we make new skin like snakes. Why don’t our teeth fixi itself if it is cells and bone?
you never gave up!
Wow, was really cool learning about these different kinds of cars! Now I want a water powered car.
Pollution free cars is such a great idea
Can’t wait to see what the infrared map of the sky would look like.
Can’t wait to see what that map of the sky looks like. I also found the info on nitric oxide interesting.
R51s a good invention
I had fun watching this with my brother. New energy cars are all so innovative. Environmental friendly is also a plus.
I learn so much from science live. I Love the idea “off science”.
Thank you, Science live. Always learning great stuff.
I love how you guys explain things!
I want to enter a science fair.
Really cool drawings of a bugs, love the details.
In today’s society, after hearing the lecture today, I strongly agree that we should start using hydrogen powered vehicles instead of electricity, not only it will clean earths air, but there also wouldn’t be any pollution involved which is some much better for our environment.
This episode was really fun to watch!!
R51 is so funny!
woah this is very cool
It’s so cool that you made the first hydrogen-powered car Dr. Billings!
Interesting video,mi dad and I watched together, we love cars.
That’s so cool!
hydrogen powered vehicles are cool
Great video, loved how they tackled the nitric oxide emission problem.
Dr .B explained the things very good
Its very helpful,and I really like those videos🌝⭐
r51 <3
So awesome
That is amazing that your car scored so well. When will they mass produce this type of car vs the electric as an alternative fuel car?
so cool love this
Hydrogen cars make so much sense
Thank you Science Live.
I love watching these so I can learn new things every day!
Send me r51
I want r51’s invention 🙃
Loved the video thank you for teaching me something new!!
Everything was so interesting, but my favorite part was the persistent of Dr.B for not giving up and showed his project and win.
We 💜 r51
Very intriguing! This taught me so much!
That is so cool. I love learning new things. Also funny clone joke!!
I loved learning how hydrogen powered vehicles are a cleaner alternative to car fuel. As well that it is environmentally better.
Who actually invented the microscope? I’ve always wanted one of those but they cost sooo much!🔬
I think anything that is created that we can drive in and can be pollution free is fantastic. My dad has an old diesel and there’s a lot of black smoke that goes in the air. I think we need to start with fixing them first and then get us some pollution-free cars. Or flying cars.
wow I learned something new today!
I am buying R-51’s invention..
How much nitrogen oxide does loghting make
WOW so cool! Loved this video! Thank you Dr Rogers!
For this episode, Dr. Billings’ story makes it clear that something as common as car exhaust can have serious consequences. His message is a wake-up call—now that we know the harm, it’s on us to do something about it.
I really loved this video. It definitely was intriguing and I learned something new.
Learning about nitric oxide was interesting.
I understand the cell theory so much better after this video. Thank you so much.
In today’s society, after hearing the lecture today, I strongly agree that we should start using hydrogen powered vehicles instead of electricity, not only it will clean earths air, but there also wouldn’t be any pollution involved which is some much better for our environment.
I think hydrogen powered motors are the motors of the future.
Back in 1972 and the General Motors Urban Vehicle Design Competition, I learned that Billing tackled the challenges about Nitric Oxide Emission. His very best hydrogen powered car had a clean exhaust than the other entries with no emission.
The idea of using a telescope to map the sky is a very clever idea of using this technology.
AMAZING VIDEO
Love this! so cool!
i loved the video<3
I love learning something new whenever I see these lives!
tobias needs more screen time
I did not know about the importance of nitric oxide emissions and how hydrogen-powered vehicles can offer a cleaner alternative even compared to electric cars. That was cool was unaware of the significance of nitric oxide emissions and how hydrogen-powered vehicles can provide a cleaner alternative, even when compared to electric cars. That was interesting.
I really like cars, so this video was really intriguing
The reason excessive amount nitric oxcide is dangerous is because having to much nitric oxcide in the body can lead to a lot of problems like lung damage and breathing difficulties.
By far one of my favorites episodes
Wow, that’s so cool thanks!
it is so amazing how people have managed to see an atom so impressive.
WOW, I thought nitric oxide was just another boring element but geez it’s more important than I ever would have thought! thanks so much
Amazing 👏
I enjoyed learning about cell theory!
I think this program gives a great impact to knowing what’s going on about science.
Toyota is working on hydrogen powered motors. Also, I’ve seen boats doing this with marine engines. Really cool
Exciting video!
It’s amazing how you made your own car without pollution.
I love science
Only if hydrogen cars were more affordable and popular
I did not know about the importance of nitric oxide emissions and how hydrogen powered vehicles can offer a cleaner alternative even compared to electric cars, That was something cool to learn and here about.
Is nitric acid in the rain just in America or the whole world?
love the video!
I had fun watching thank you so much!
Can the hydrogen powered car turn back into something else?
Science live is always so interesting and entertaining!!
I’m amazed with this video, it’s very interesting to find out new information.
That was cool with the rubber bands.
This was such a cool lesson!!! Thanks Mr. Rogers! 🤩
I learn something new every time I watch one of these videos and I love it.
Me and my family work with cars so this is useful to me! Thank you!
loved this episode
How was nitric oxide discovered??
Interesting. Crazy how that works.
This was a cool lesson!
my great grandpa retired from general motors.
Model A4 is so interesting.
Cell theory is very interesting for the medical research. 3 billion new cells everyday. wow
the thing that it is ,is that we all drive diffrent types of cars but this one can going for many miles than any other type of cars
This episode is very informative.
Loved this! Congrats on winning first place!