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 »
What makes the northern lights appear? What is the lowest wavelength that can be reached?
I really like the idea of having a piloting course in Acellus.
Loved learning about the radio waves—that class sounds amazing!
It is so fanatising haw radio waves and Morse code work!! Love science live
It’s so cool how radio stations pick up signal while driving all over!
The blue light on those dyes look magical!
I loved the part where that creature was running all over the wall at area 51. That was really funny.
Its just so amazing how radio waves work and move and how fast they are!
My great grandfather would tell me stories of how morse code was used when he was in the military! Great live this week.
My dad knows morse code !
this video was very interesting I enjoyed it so much. I saw the northern lights the other day and that seriously made my day.
is it true that sound waves travel faster in water than in air?
I thought lasers could only make things hot. Who knew it could make things cold too
love the tie!
Laser cooling is really cool. Using the anti-Stokes principle, atoms can absorb lower-energy light and then re-emit higher-energy photons, allowing them to lose kinetic energy and cool down. It’s so fascinating how precise light manipulation can bring matter to ultra-cold temperatures.
How do the northern lights work? I got to see them recently and they are very cool but how do they work and what are they made of?
Where is the best place to buy A ham radio? I am very interested in a ham radio class. I hope you make it for kids in junior high and high school.
I think that this is my favorite episode so far. The ways that we’ve developed communications…it’s fascinating!!
how many different colors of coral are there
The ending was so funny 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I enjoyed the part with R51 hes really funny!
Hey, I’m from Texas and I love watching Science Live every week!
It was interesting that people that workout of study for a longer amount of time than stopping for a long period of time get better grades because there brain is more focused and remembers how to do certain things
My favorite part about the video was about the Apollo NASA and the Omega watch because buzz aldrin and Neil Armstrong wore the watch and that is pretty cool.
Its funny how mars said that they are waiting on Elon musk to come.
It’s so insane how something so small and overlooked as a wrist watch ended up being the saving grace that astronauts used to make it back to Earth safely.
The subject of a potential aviation class for helicopters reminded of something cool. Leonardo Da Vinci, who I think most people are familiar with, created sketches for a flying machine all the way back during the Italian Renaissance. What’s interesting is that the sketches are very similar in appearance to modern helicopters, and would have operated using the same principles. Is it possible we could see this subject on Science Live someday?
Radio waves are really interesting to learn about.
My Dad was in the army!
Why are all the space suites so bulky
that corral is so pretty!!!
I didn’t know radio waves worked that way!
I love how funny R51 always is
I like how Tobias’s tie matched what he talked about.
I’ve been seeing a lot of videos about morse code recently, it’s a really interesting and sophisticated way of communication, I’d love to learn it.
How much does the Omega watch cost? And where is it sold?
The moon landing made a huge impact on America.
How do the plants in the ocean florescent
Morse code sounds really cool i wonder how they learned it back then the way the wave length travel is cool, i think this is cool to learn about!
I think a ham radio activity could be really fun. Are walkie talkies the same as these radios?
Maybe I need to check out Omega watches. They are obviously incredible quality.
I liked seeing Dr.Billings old photos.
Hello! This Science Live video was very inspiring. It made me decide to do some of my own experiments, and discover new things. 🙂
Thanks for the interesting story behind the Omega watches and the Apollo missions and the Silver Snoopy Award. I also learned a lot about ham radio.
How difficult is it to learn Morse Code?
I did not know that radio waves worked like that!
I like the daily goal. It helps me stay on track.
I love the new stickers put out monthly! They encourage me to finish my goals.
That is incredible I can’t believe that was the first watch on the moon
I never knew a space proof watch was made and used.
I really liked this Science Live! I’m learning about sound waves in Science class.
i would love to learn how be a pilot i would also love to have a class on how to do morse code
HI I’m from Alabama I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE
How does the transmitter work?
I love the daily goals it really helps me manage my work a little at a time which helps me remember the material easier.
R-51 is my favorite part of these. lol
Thank you Science Live! I really liked learning about the NASA watch testing.
I thought the fact that they could take a watch to the moon was really cool.
I wasn’t expecting the radio tower to be that big!! And R-51 is so funny!
What happened to R-51 after he released the Mars lizard?
I have never thought about how they needed a way to tell time in space! I Wonder how many inventions have been made specifically to go to space.
I would like to have one of those speedmaster omega watches!
where does the term “radio” originate?
I love r51. he is AWESOME!
I love science
How was the omega speed master watch sill could work in extreme hot places, and in a extreme cold places and how could it work in space?
HII!! I LOVED SCIENCE LIVE TODAY 😀 SUPER INTERESTING AND FUN! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK
Morse Code is pretty cool.
How much does the omega watch cost?
Do they still use the Omega watch for Race car driving today or have they upgraded it to something more digital?
Calling the Apollo ships “Snoopy and Charlie Brown” is adorable.
I wish the northern lights came to Georgia 🙁 I love science!
I’m a junior in highschool in billings, Montana and When I grow up I have always wanted to be something to help people out. First I wanted to be a Police, then I wanted to be A Firefighter, but now all I wnat to do is to go into the Military and do what ever the people need me to do.
I think sound waves are sooo cool.
I always thought that a laser would be hot it is crazy to me how they can be used to cool things off.
I thought it was very cool to learn about radio waves and how far they can go. Thank you for this week’s Science Live. R51 was so funny!
love all the Space science!
science live Is the best.
I can’t wait for the shirts to come out!
I still can’t believe that the radio waves were able to go from Kansas City to Australia, or New Zealand, or even Germany. That is so amazing.
Do you guys rehearse before you guys go live?
I really want to learn Morse Code
I like how Roger billings went to earn money for a radio tower
love science live❤️💜🤎💙🩷🩵🧡💛💚🩵
Apollo 11 was so cool to learn about
I think that a flight class would be stellar.
Radio waves are such an interesting topic to talk about, I’m glad you guys chose it! It would be so great to have an Acellus class on Morse code, I really want to learn it!!😊🙂↕️also I pilot course would be such a cool opportunity!
Hi from Buffalo NY!
It is very interesting to learn about study habits! Ill have to try spreading my studying out.
Science live is so neat, there are always so many interesting topics!
Thank you to Tobias for talking about the Omega watches that went into space. I think that is so cool!!
I enjoyed watching Science Live!
poeple have been saying the northern lights were last night but I didn’t see anything I wonder how they are made.
how old were you in that pic
Tobias always talks about something interesting. You wouldn’t really think about how important a watch would be in space.
Hi my favourite subject is science. From South Africa
I am loving Acellus! The time management is so much better.
The watches are cool how they could stand all the G pressure.
I love science live!
I love science live and find it really interesting how much thought and time went into the sending people to space.
I would love a ham radio and morse code in a course and activity!!!!
The Omega watch story is really cool!
These science lives are always so educating!
I never knew there was an award that austronauts can give?! Very cool that Omega got the “Snoopy” award, and now there is a Snoopy watch.
I learn something new everytime I watch science live! Amazing!
Science live is always wild, but in a good way.
r51 DID IT
Please make the HAM radio course.
I know the video wasn’t really about this but, I wonder why the moon can appear as a different color like orange or red? I would love to know the science behind it .
I did not know it was a life or death situation if you were off on time in space as an astronaut.
It would be a lot of fun to have a pilot course.
I love to watch science live each week. I enjoy hearing about different people through Acellus as well!
Wow ham radios are really neat.
That would actually be a lot of fun to have course on being a pilot.
Why don’t buildings block radio waves as completely as they block visible light?
I think its cool the Omega watch was used for race car drivers and astronauts in space to keep track of time.
Radios have changed the Tech world and the world. 🙂
i love acellus so much
Does Omega still make watches?
i love acellus so much!
Love acellus so much!
A watch on the moon! WOW NASA!
why do the corals look like flowers is it to get more food from filter feed in or to ward off preaditors so it doesn’t get consumed
R 51 is so fun and Morse code is so cool.
Do you have to be a certain age to get your ham radio license?
I thinks its cool the Omega speed master watch passed every test to be used in space.
Hello from Missouri. Loved learning about radios!!!
I Love watching the science lives!!!!
I think a radio waves course would be very interesting!
Dr. Billings, I didn’t know you knew morse code. That is really cool. Could we add learning morse code 101 to our classes?
I swear, every time I watch another Science Live, I discover another bit of Roger Billings lore! I never knew he was in ham radio.
Also, Tobias’ talk about the Omega watches being used for the Apollo missions was really interesting to hear about!
I love Acellus!!
Morse code is really cool! I didn’t know that they used it to communicate through radio.
Not too long ago, researchers announced that diamond turns out to be the best material for semiconductors, although researchers yesterday at the University of Houston think they have discovered a better material – boron arsenite. In their tests, it allowed for more heat to pass through. They also say it is much easier to make than diamond.
I would like to do the ham radio course. Do you think R51 can ketch the alien gecko!
R51is the funniest person in science live.
Dr John’s technology spotlight is my favorite part of science live.
Watching Science Live from Monroeville, AL
I can’t not laugh at R-51
I loved how Dr .John talked about the Black Light. It was so cool when he said about how you can’t see the Black Light when ever you put it up against things.
Could the public buy one of those snoopy watches?
When will the T-shirts be put in the store?
I never knew there was so much to learn about radio waves. Thanks for the study tips!
My cousin learned some Morse code on a battleship overnight.
I liked how he went into great detail of how the time was really important in space.
I loved last night’s science live. So interesting and cool.🤩
What dr. Joshua said about little by little goes a long way I agree that you can’t just do one thing once and awhile!
NASA is so cool!
I thought that the lasers that Dr. John showed were amazing thank you for sharing.
Loved the science live this week! It was very interesting learning about the different radio waves!
The space watches are cool. I love science.
Sometimes I feel bad for R51, but he doesn’t give up 🙂
The coral reefs look very interesting under the blue light.
My favorite class so far is electrical engineering, but if you did the aviation class I think I would have a new favorite.
Science Live is always intesrting. The OMEGA watch made for NASA was cool. Morse code is intresring to learn about. I wish I had a HAM radio so I could have a cool handle.
ngl, this episode was really cool. The watch was amazing, espically through all the tests and the way it basically saved the lives on Apollo 13. The cooling lasers was also a really cool thing as well. The fact radio waves can move like a foot every billionth of a second is insane. I never knew it could move that fast. I never really knew much about radios, but the Ham Radio made me more interested in things like this. I love Science Live and I can’t wait to watch in Texas next week!!
It was very interesting learning about radio waves. I am curious about the pilot class sounds exciting!
I really enjoyed watching this science live. I got to learn something crazy about how radio waves work. Amazing program.
Thank you so much DrB. This is such an amazing lesson
I always look forward to watching science live!
What causes radio signal fading at sunrise and sunset?
I love Acellus!
I LOVED the gift from Mars!
from Annaleigh
did the titanic use radio waves
I enjoyed this episode and learning about the watch that went to space. I also liked learning about the radio waves, it was very interesting.
Science Live is cool!
Watched from Israel
The fluorescent coral looks like it has a black light on it.
I love science live
I would love to learn morse code!
I love science live
How far do the lasers go into space or do they just continue going on and on forever?
For making semi conductors, is the diamond expensive to use?
Morse Code is so cool. I want to learn how to use it. My dad used morse code in the army. Also, having a HAM radio would be cool.
If radio waves are affected by magnetism and electricity, does that mean there is electricity in space somehow? Like lightning?
This live has been my favorite so far! I love how radio waves work
How will diamond be good for semiconductors?
Are there places and certain job professions that still use Morse code or do they use a different form of communication?
Theoretically speaking, could you use radio waves to transfer files? If so, can it also theoretically be a cheaper internet solution? Just wondering.