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 »
I loved watching this week’s science live! My favorite part of the episode was the technology spotlight with Dr. John. It was interesting to know that lasers can actually cool things down, seeing how they use the coral and how they cool themselves and flip it to help the laser to cool things down. I wonder what we could use this interesting invention for, maybe they could input it into the computer so that they won’t won’t overheat so easily. I think that each part of the episode was extremely interesting and I can’t wait to see what the science live team will do next week Mr. B!
I LOVE this and I can’t wait to watch more!
I love watching science lives because I always learn something very interesting. I also love learning about the different technologies news and facts.
I really like the idea of a pilot course and the ham radio course sounds like something I would want to do
I think radio waves are a really interesting aspect of day to day life, and the fact that us as ordinary people were able to invent something that allows us to communicate from such a long distance is amazing.
I enjoyed learning more about radio waves.
I loved hearing more about the small details that really helped with going to the moon
The coral is very fascinating and how it can catch the food and the edges close on them, it’s also pretty cool how they use lasers to cool down things.
Yes I would like a class to be a pilot and learn about radio.
That’s all really fascinating! I really liked the bit about the watches! I wonder how the Omega watch was made that it could withstand all of that.
i love tuning into science live
i love that they show the progress of your work!! it is very helpful when i have a time stamp.
I think a pilot class would be awesome!
I loved the part about the florescent corral. If you have not watched this weeks episode you should watch it right now.
I finished two finals today and a midterm yesterday so I’m very proud of myself!!
I recently learned Morse code, my sister and I use it constantly! This was fun and interesting to watch as well.
Learning about the astronauts and their watches was very interesting!
I like learning about radio waves. Being able to communicate over distances is cool!
I like how they talk about studying and small bits at a time is more beneficial than studying for long hours. I really like that.
I always love watching stuff about technology
The space watch was very fun and interesting.
I loved hearing about radio waves this week! And the watch—that was fascinating. It’s incredible when you think about all the different pieces you need to make something work. It shows how important everyone’s role is in society. We’re so dependent on one another!
Learning about Morse code was so cool because it’s so useful
Yeah the technology spotlight is always really interesting.
I loved learning about radio waves.
Sadly we weren’t able to see the aurora borealis in South Carolina.
Is that why when listening to the radio sometimes you can hear two different stations at the same time? The FM is sending the frequency out and they are overlapping each other?
I loved the picture of you on the tower.
I study 5 days a week with Acellus, that makes me feel good that I have a good study routine now! Hope this helps me in the future!
I like how the radio waves work and the morse code because it could help save your life or someone else’s life and I like how the radio waves travel.
Radio waves are electromagnets with the longest wavelengths and frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum. They are primarily used for telecommunications purposes, radio and television broadcasting, phone and satellite communication. This was an exceptional Science Live episode, thank you for using your time to make these wonderful episodes.
I thought it was really cool how they were talking about the different frequencies of different radio stations
I would like the Morse code class.
This science live was by far one of the most interesting and intriguing to watch, I loved watching it!
Who went to the moon with Neil Armstrong?
Buzz Aldren.😁
It’s crazy how we went from Morse code to talking through space! Technology is so awesome!
This is amazing timing. I’m just learning about waves in physical science, so all this makes sense to me.
great study tip given in my opinion
the watch on the moon! thats really cool I never knew about that.
I thought the part where Tobias was talking about the watch that the astronauts wore to the moon was interesting.
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE!!~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope that i can score that high on the act when i graduate.
”What are some of the natural sources of radio waves, and how do they differ from the radio waves produced by human-made technologies?
I love space!
We are in the golden age of tech! I love watching these amazing and informative vids.
Awesome learning about radio waves!
Is it possible for radio waves to interfere with your brain similar to the films with the aliens? And does aluminum foil prevent radio waves from reaching certain targets as long as its covered in the foil?
I loved learning about Morse code and ham radio. Thank you
You mentioned that diamond might be the next generation of materials to make semiconductors, what was the previous generation of materials used to make semiconductors?
I love watching break through moments in science with Tobias. It’s interesting to learn about science history.
I didn’t realize how important time was for astronauts , very cool
How fast do these super-speedy radio waves zip through space?
I want to be an astronaut.
How long did it take to perform all the tests on the omega watch?
A Morse code class would be great!
I would love to see a pilot class! I enjoyed todays episode.
Morse code is a clever way of talking with just dots and dashes, simple signals that can travel huge distances and still be understood.
I would love to see them talk about his original computer.
Morse code is really amazing
I like the Tech spotlight, it’s always intriguing and amazing.
SO COOL!
I had no clue that radio frequencies meant the amount of distance a radio wave travels!
From San Antonio, Texas: Hola/ hello! I enjoyed this episode of Science Live! My favorite part of this episode was MR. Rodger Billings talking about radio frequencies!
I love the part about coral🪸
Northern lights are the one of my favorite things!
that watch was cool and interesting
i liked the gecko that emerged from the transporter
technology spotlight is always my favorite.
I loved learning about radio waves! i thought that it was very interesting and cool to learn about.
The coral is really cool!
I loved looking at the fluorescent dyes in the tubes!!!
I like how the radio waves work and the morse code because it could help save your life or someone else’s life and I like how the radio waves travel.
Radio waves, as we all know, have allowed us to tune in to your local radio stations even from far away. But when you really think about it, back then they didn’t have technology that we have now. So the fact that they still managed to create something like a radio signal is truly another invention to make life more efficient is something else! I’m sure radio signals would be very useful in war. I’ve never served in the military, but I think that by using something such as a radio would be useful because they could come up with an extra back up plan or come up with a different strategy during the battle to have a better chance at winning. But besides all that, I think something such as a radio further demonstrates technology advancements over the years.
Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic radiation with longest wavelengths and lowest frequencies in the spectrum, they travel at the speed of light.
Radio waves are really cool, fun to learn about and very interesting
I love r51
what are semiconductors
I like the part about the florescent corral in the ocean! So cool!
same. it was very interesting to learn about the florescent corral.
what happens if you do it all in one day and not a little each day?
I didn’t realize how important it is for astronauts to know the time. It’s cool they got 4 time pieces from different companies for their testing. It must’ve taken a long time to make sure astronauts would get back home safely.
I really enjoyed this Science Live Video.
I love how our brains are neuroplastic
Radio waves are a really interesting thing. It makes one wonder about the early days of communication. Wonderful episode, by the way. 🙂
The talk of space and watch technology was super interesting!
Acellus, my vote for the courses are yes, yes, and yes! I am learning how to pilot a mini plane, and I would love to learn how to pilot a helicopter. So, yes!
Favorite part of Science Live is the Technology Spotlight!!!
Radio waves are really cool and fun to learn about
I like R51. Thanks for this science live.
Great video! I loved seeing the learning activities and the ways students use them.
Wow what an amazing class I loved it so much! Thanks again!
I really like the coral and my favorite coral was the hammer coral and I really thought r-51 was really funny with the lizard.
Space travel is so intriguing.
It was interesting learning about how the omega watch passed all the tests to go to space.
Radio waves are really cool.
Learning about Morse code was fun, I think more people should know about it and try learning it because it could also help you in certain situations one day.
Crazy to know about the Omega Speedmaster…
Can you buy one of the watches that are able to function in space?
I liked learning about the astronauts and their watches.
I like the shirts but I haven’t got mine yet. I like the watch thing it’s cool!
Radio waves are insanely fascinating!
science live was very interesting today.
I’m glad you kept your job! I like morse code too.
I’m glad you kept your job!
wow, roger billings is really smart!
I really found the topic of neuroplasticity very interesting and I want to try out that studying method. This science live also taught me new things about radio waves that I didn’t even know about!
Yes, I would love to see an aviation course!
Love watching these videos thanks for posting them!
I think Morse code is really cool I would love to learn abt it more👌
R51 should really name the lizard from mars!
I think morse code is really interesting. I’d love to learn it.
I love how the lizard can crawl on the wall!
I really like the northern lights we got to see them for the first time at our house.
Morse code is so cool. It may be old, but imagine needing to use it at some point in your life. I believe it could happen in my lifetime.
I think the Mars lizard skit was very funny.
I love to watch science live! I get to learn new things I never knew about!!
Radio waves are so cool. Its so amazing how everything works and I love learning about it.
Radio waves travels at the speed of the light. Higher the frequency, shorter the wave.
I will be looking into more cryptography and looking forward to it later in science live! Fantastic video.
Love NASA!
Morse code is such a cool language to know, and can really help in times of emergency or when needed! Super neat and cool to learn aswell!
i would like to see a morse code class.
This is kinda funny because my father and I were talking about AM and FM radio waves just a few days ago.
Science Live is fun to watch and I like learning new things from it
The Omega watch was sick!
Radio waves are really cool because they let us communicate without wires!
I love Science live soooo much.!!
Radio waves are so cool. Its so cool how everything works.
i love radio waves they are beautiful and that gecko is cool
it was cool to learn about Morse code I think more people should know it because it could help save you in a emergency one day
Yeah, I wish everyone knew Morse Code! Acellus should do a course on it.
Radio waves are pretty cool! Hammer coral was cool too!
The story about the astronauts visiting the moon with the omega watches was awesome!
My first episode! Watching from South Carolina
I liked how the Astronauts used watches. I love watching Science live❤️
It is so cool to learn more about how radio waves work
I liked the story about how the astronauts used the omega watches to travel to the moon. Very interesting story. Thank you for sharing.
Science Live is the best, it’s so fun watching
These lessons teach me so much about the world! Love science live!
I really want that rr51did it shirt. Id love to wear it.
I think they should add a ham radio class.
I don’t know how we even found radio waves.
studying is important!
the northern lights were very pretty yesterday!!
I heard there was going to be northern lights but I couldn’t find them, im glad you got to see them!
I liked the part with Dr. John talking about how the blue shirt can absorb many different colors but only reflects blue.
I saw the northern lights to! super fun
It is fascinating to me how we have discovered so much about things we can’t see. Science is cool!
You got that right!!!!!!!!
I love the northern lights, they have always been so fascinating!
Radio waves are so cool and learning how to be an operator would be awesome! I think it’s a great idea to make courses on hem operators and how to be a pilot.
aviation class is an awesome idea!!
What part of the ocean can you find the fluorescent coral?
How was NASA able to communicate with the astronauts if they had shut the entire spacecraft off?
I love science lives. I thought that the watch going to the moon was really cool!
I LOVE science live me and my parents watch it all the time. from San antonio texas
I’m from Arkansas. I love getting to watch! You all are so fun!
science live is the best science series!
What is the farthest a radio length has EVER reached?
Does studying at night affect the way that you retain the information?
A transmitter converts sound into an electrical signal, which is then used to modulate a radio wave. This modulated signal is sent to an antenna
Awesome Mr. Billings!
Dr. Billings, do we still use radio waves in our phones?
i like the moon watch.
Dr. Tobias, do they still use the same watches on missions today?
Dr. John, would it be safe for humans to work in that room since it’s so cold?
Radios were cool before but after learning more about them, I have a new appreciation for them.
Dr. Billings, what toy is that?! It can climb walls?
Is radio wave difrent then sound wave?
Google says that radio waves don’t require a medium and can go through a vacuum while sound waves have to bounce off of something.
Dr. John, how cold is zero degrees Kelvin in Fahrenheit?
I like how Dr.John explained fluorescent coral and lights.
I want to learn morse code! It would be cool if you offered a class that would teach us Morse code.
This episode was a great reminder to study a little bit every school day.
Dr Rogers Billings has always told really cool science lives but this one had to be my all time favorite!!!
I want a Snoopy watch!!
also I think an aviation class would be great.
NASA is so cool.
I really liked the tip of spaced study and how it fosters neuroplasticity. Thank you for this information!
GREAT SHOW!!!!! I really loved the ideas for the new classes! SO awesome! Thank your DR. R!
Radio waves are so cool! I loved learning about them. Please make more science lives about them
I love this class so much! Thank you!
This was such a cool episode!
That story with the astronauts in space was very interesting I did not know watches were so important to them
I love r51 so much he’s amazing!
Do AM radio frequencies travel further than FM radio frequencies?
R51 is always my favorite part.
what found very cool that Nasa made special watches for the apollo missions and tested it in extreme conditions.