Radio Waves
November 12, 2025 • EPISODE 286
How do invisible waves travel across the world and beyond? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings dives into the fascinating science of radio waves—how they’re created, how they move through space, and how they make long-distance communication possible. From the basics of frequency and transmission to early breakthroughs like Morse code and modern applications such as HAM radio and space communication, join us as we explore the hidden currents that keep us connected.
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 »
Interesting how radio waves work! Thanks, Dr. Billings!
Morse code is so cool!
My son’s first video! He loves science so much, thank you for this.
Oh yeah I saw the northern lights here in Montana!!!😃
I live in Montana to!😃 My family tried to see the northern lights but, we could’t.
I would love to learn Morse code it seems fun to learn we just need a teacher that knows Morse code.
Science Live is my favorite! I look forward to it each week.
Please make the aviation class!!
I had never heard of the NASA Omega watches before, that was really interesting.
This episode was really cool. I liked seeing the flouresent coral
Two days ago I saw the northern lights in Rhode Island, and I was wondering how they appear in the sky and travel around?
was the apollo 13 the last apollo mission or did they have more?
How deep do you have to go to see corals in the ocean?
Science is the best
This science live was awsome!
I enjoy watching Science LIVE every week.
R in morse code is ._. i have been wanting to learn morse code and ASL because being abe to talk with out saying anyword and not writing anything on paper is very fasinating to me.
I really enjoy having Pajet on the science lives. She is a great teacher!
Do they still use use moreus code in the military today? It is funny how the tune of Q is “Here Comes The Bride”. It is so cool how radio waves work. Hello from Bristol, Tennessee
I got the R51 scribbler on Monday and was so excited.
Where/how can I get my Ham radio license?
I love this session every week. I am learning a lot with Acellus Academy.
I love learning new things each week with Science Live.
Loved the story about the Omegas!
I ❤️science
Science Live is always interesting . The OMEGA watch for NASA is really cool.
Science Live was very interesting today, i think it was very fun to learn about Radio Waves
I’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights in person. They are so pretty! A ham radio course would be very cool.
With the northern lights showing recently, how are they formed?
I loved this Science Live! It was interesting to learn about the Snoopy Award from NASA. I though that was very fun:)
Analog is the signal of what the volume goes by wether the volume is loud or if it is quiet it shows by increasing in size which means it is louder or deceases in size which means it is getting more quiet.
I LOVE science live
I especially love the last part of Science Live! Dr. Billings is so funny!
I look forward to watching this every wednesday. This week was super interesting.
We enjoyed watching Science Live together as a family.
Does HAM in HAM radio stand for anything?
It’s really cool how they wore the Omega watches during their trip to the moon. Unbelievable how it held up to those conditions!
How many people have gotten the Snoopy Award?
If all the wifi in the world went out, would FM or AM radio be how we communicate with each other?
Its funny that this week is about HAM radio and Morse code cause at my Civil Air Patrol meeting on Tuesday this is what we talked about too!
I never knew you could use watches in space! Maybe I’ll get a Snoopy watch.
It was really neat to learn about morse code. R-51 is funny.
I loved listening to Science Live and getting great study tips.
thank you for the studying tips! I thought the morse code key was cool.
Why can radio waves only go a certain distance from the radio station?
I LOVE SCIENCE!!
If you can ever go to Huntsville to see the nasa museum it’s pretty neat
I think a helicopter course would be amazing, I think it would be a nice addition.
I learned that everything is timed when astronauts go to space so they stay safe.
I found it interesting that an electromagnetic radio wave difference is reason for why AM radio sounds less clear than FM
I think it is really neat that a laser that is known to be hot can be used to cool something.
I didn’t know that there was a Snoopy award. I have read books and watched cartoons with Snoopy.
Loved it!
I love Acellus!
yes yes yes new classes.
It was nice to see how my parents can view my classes.
I would love to see the Northern Lights. I bet it’s so pretty and amazing
Lasers that can cool things down instead of heat them up? That’s mind-blowing!
Now I know why my mom chooses the FM stations!
My dad was studying to get a ham radio license. He told me you aren’t required to know Morse Code anymore to get your license.
I like that the watch worked in space and I think it was awesome!
A radio class would be amazing. Thank you for another great Science Live!
R 51 is so funny!
I love Acellus!!!
Near where I live in Delaware, there is a place where they worked on the suits used by NASA.
The morse code class sounds fun and interesting.
I want to see space one day! I hope we go the moon again.
They are planning too with the Artemis program.
that’s cool that NASA named the module Snoopy and Charlie Brown
I learned that FM radio sounds better than AM radio because of the wavelengthts
I was watch the Science live when I was wondering where did you all get all these amazing jokes.
Dr. Roger Billings is very funny and nice i like science
That’s very interesting about the new semi-conductors universities are developing! Would copper and aluminum be considered semi-conductors?
Pretty interesting that they are considering diamonds for semi conductors.
My dad used a CB radio when he was a truck driver,
I love Science Live so much!
Radios are cool 😎
can you still get the snoopy award
I love learning about the Appolo missions. It is interesting how they come up with a watch to keep time in space. The OMEGA watch was cool.
I love these science live videos. You guys really do a great job at presenting these. Keep up the good work! And thank you!
I had no idea that lasers could cool things down! I thought they could only heat things up!
I always wondered how AM/FM radio worked!
My mom works in radio! now I know how it works
I always thought AM stood for after midnight. You learn something knew everyday
Cramming vs long term studying was pretty awesome had no idea they had such differences in how much information you retain .
Do they still use Omega watches in space?
I enjoyed science live.
What was the specific, critical role the Omega Speedmaster Professional play on the moon mission that earned Silver Snoopy Award from Nasa?
Why do lasers cool things?
Its crazy to think about how the waves travel.
The Omega Speedmaster has to be the coolest watch I have ever seen or heard about. I know what’s going on my Christmas list.
An aviation class would be fun and interesting !
My grandpa has a ham radio.
That had to be so scary on Apollo 13! Thank goodness for their watches but wow how intense and the pressure to be exactly 14 seconds or they would miss earth!! How cool about the Snoopy Award! I never knew about that! So neat!
Love from South Africa!
How do radio waves transmit information, such as music or voice, from a broadcasting station to a radio receiver?
I never knew the brought a watch with them to the moon , that’s quite cool
I agree – consistent daily study is important. That would definitely help with a 35 SAT score!
Lasers not only being able to heat, but also cool is amazing.
I built a crystal radio with my dad one time. Radio waves are crazy.
I’m here watching from Daytona Beach
Yesss!!! I would love to have a course that helps me learn how to fly an airplane and helicopter
Hello from Bulgaria, I love science live!
How does the coral emit flourescent light?
R51 is funny
Loved the “Da da daa das” Melodies hahaha! 😂
Hi from South Africa. This one was really fun to watch.
thank you I would love aviation classes
Good morning, I look forward to this class weekly. I always learn something new. Thank you
I had no idea you could use lasers to COOL things
How do they use diamonds for semi conductors?
Greetings from Romania! thank you for this week s episode. interesting to learn more about lasers and corals!
Is Morse Code still used in the army and other things?
I LOVE science live.
The thermal vacuum chamber testing for the watches was really interesting. Speed Master Omega really did pass the test and it is crazy how such a long time ago they had this much advancement that they actually saved the astronauts in space. Science is really interesting.
How is Nasa able to receive radio wave from a space ship?
I find it interesting that when using walkie talkies our voices are converted into a radio signal, but the other person hears what we are saying instead of a signal.
Ham Radios are old technology that is still available and used in emergency situations. Our town hosts free classes and they have a very large group of volunteers called ARES.
The Apollo 13 story was quite interesting to hear about!
That is SO COOL one of the grads from Acellus last year did so well on her SAT and got a full ride scholarship!!
Radio waves are an interesting and cool concept. I love Dr. B’s “radio” voice, it’s sounds almost like Optimus Prime.
I LOVE R-51
I really like that acellus teaches us how to study.
Crazy how a hot beam of light can make stuff colder 🙂
Thank you guys so much for all the science lives you guys have done over the years I appreciate all the knowledge that I have learned from them
Please do the aviation course
Hi from France, I liked todays science live!
I wish I could have seen the Northern lights in South Africa
The researchers at the University of Houston using boron arsenide as a semi-conductor is very interesting, especially if it is easier to make than the use of diamonds. I will have to find information about this new discovery.
I learned a bit of Morse code a few years ago with a friend!
i always love watching science live because of all the information and r-51
Hello, Dr. Roger Billings, how many radio stations have you worked at?
Thank you, Dr. Roger Billing, for this show!
Loved the live! From South Africa
Thank you, Dr. Roger Billings for this lesson!
Watching from South America this week. To be exact Chile.
It really is fascinating how radio waves work!
Science live is very interesting and I am glad it is on every week.
That watch used for the Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 was so essential to those astronauts as if they didn’t have it on them, they could have died.
I really want to get a watch like that one
That was awesome. I have been wanting to make my own radio for almost a year.
I really like to watching science live. Thank you for it
Do people still use morse code ?
So cool story, Tobias!
Thank you so much for this week’s video I really enjoyed R51 and learning about the radio towers and how they work and they would love to see all the new classes.
I loved todays science live! I can’t wait for next weeks!
Radio waves are waves sent out through the air that travel long distance.
i love science live study tips helped a lot!
Hello from Afghanistan!
Science Live was truly inspiring. Every week l feel a small positive change within myself. Thank you all for this great learning opportunity!
From Texas, I would like a Morse code and piloting class.
I really enjoyed learning about how they chose the Omega watch for the Apollo missions and seeing the actual astronauts wearing them. I also thought ham radio was very interesting too.
how do radio waves travel through walls and over long distances?
The story of Omega Speedmaster became the watch of choice for the astronaut on Apollo Mission and how the watch assiststed them to get back to earthsafely and on time is incredible.
Watching the replay! Thank you everyone that helps with Acellus!❤︎
Interesting episode! The northern lights were beautiful last night.
Why did Nasa decide to start making the Apollo spaceships?
I look forward to your weekly videos. They are interesting.
I liked your throwback pictures in this week’s Science Live. You should show some more next week.
I love these lives! I love how every week it is something new, always more to learn!!
Science lives are the best!
I like these science videos, becasuse it helps me learn something new. I didnt know the sound of our voice was a wave.
Amazing science live today!
I’m interested in learning more about HAM radio.
I never knew astronauts had a certain watch to wear.
I love this science live program it teaches me all about the world around me and the r 51 videos are so funny!
I saw the northern lights last night and I’m from Texas crazyyy
it is very important to keep time in space for astronauts
I love Roger billings❤️!!!
I saw some pretty cool northern lights. brighter than I’ve ever seen before
I think Morse code is cool
Science live just keeps getting better!!
I think you should definitely a radio operator course
I think everyone should learn morse code. It could be useful during an emergency.
I love when Dr. John takes mic
My favorite part this week was learning about the space exploration with Tobias.
Hello from Colorado! Science live is awesome!! Thank you for working hard to do these every week. Using lasers to cool things down? Interesting.
i definitely learned something new about fm and am ☺️
Science live is awesome
Thank you Dr.billings for teaching us about morse code.
I think that Science live is so cool and it has helped me learn a bunch!
an aviation course would be really cool