How to Invent
November 19, 2025 • EPISODE 287
How do great inventions begin? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings breaks down the process of inventing—showing how curiosity, creativity, and simple problem-solving can grow into real innovations. Using Morse code as an example, he explains how messages are sent and demonstrates it with a telegraph key. A fun, practical look at how anyone can start turning ideas into inventions.
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 »
R51 he is definitely better than R50!
I love this science live so much that it was really good and they are so much fun to watch and very fun to learn some new thing in science that you have never learned before
Science LIVE rocks!
Science Live Area 51 is so funny I can’t stop laughing!!!
I would love for morse code to be a part of our activities
How do you do Hi and Hey in Morse code? I love the videos! love the super communicater!!!
So to track whether I did science live or not do you look at who commented? I type me comment after watching then enter my id and name then submit. Do I have to sign in first? Also I love the series we are currently covering! I would also love to learn Morse code!!
Learning about email and the at symbol was pretty interesting.
I really like R-51 he’s super funny.
Science Live always leaves me wanting more. I love each episode.
Of course we don’t miss a single science live. I like it.
r-51 is amazing
When I’m older I wanna be an inventor!
It’s cool how Disney is programing robots to fall with style. I think it’s pretty awesome.
Definitely would like a morse code activity, or even a course to take on it!
That is a really smart way to not have a lot of failed robots due to them breaking.
What is Mr. Roger billing pet snake named
Thank you for the knowledge!
Thank you for the science live! It was a lot of fun!
I actually learned quite a bit this time around. I didn’t really know the difference between HAM Radio and CB Radio, and I also didn’t know Thomas Edison’s contributions to the telegraph before today either.
Really love Science Live since it allows me to learn so many things I don’t think I’d have known otherwise!
I am curious about the idea of maybe using oxygen as a fuel source do you think it could work
Hi from Florida! Loved this episode!
Hey I was thinking can you guys make a way that we can see if people like our books and maybe they can comment on it so we can learn more ways?
thanks you for reading this!!
My sister is doing a report on Morse code, and watched with me.
Dr. R you made some great points
Those robots falling with style were so funny!
I really enjoyed this episode! I can’t wait for next week!
I’m here from Arkansas and just want to say hi and i looove the r51 part!
by far this science live was my favorite!
I like the ladder idea. Ready to hear more about it.
This science live was very interesting, I enjoyed it a lot.
How many times has some thing exploded in Area 51?
I love this science live it was amazing!!!!!! 🙂
I love the way the robot poses! Especially when he falls and poses with his “hands” behind his head!
I really liked that you mentioned Thomas Edison!
This week of Science Live was amazing, and I really liked Learning about Morse code it was a lot of fun!
Love science!😀
Amazing science live! From Alabama
I didn’t know that morse code was used in the military, that’s pretty neat to learn.
Of course R51 invented a different kind of communication, as we all expected. ;))
And also, thank you for helping me understand things better Dr. B!
Coding is my favorite subject! Future programmer here!
I find it so interesting that scientists were able to program that robot to not fall on their battery pack. That robot is so cute!
If you take ideas from other people and use it for inventing something out of it, would you still be the one that originated with the new idea that came out of it?
That was very cool Dr. John!
I didn’t know the history of emails until today. I really enjoyed learning about that
The way the robots were posing when they fell was so cute.
I loved the science live this week!
wow i didnt know thats how “email” was made. Cool!
What other ways can we use dual light microscopes?
I really enjoyed this week’s Science LIVE! I especially found morse code super interesting. Thank you!
R-51 is so funny!
Could you share some techniques that you used to master Morse Code?
I have always wanted to try and invent something. I think it would be really cool to be able to say I did that
I loved the fact that the math expert is a kid he help me a lot
This was so fun to watch!
Hello from Texas. Science rules!
When will Morse code class be released,R51 is so iconic with his teacher cutout 🤣
Great time once again watching Science Live. When could we get a full Science Live or even a class on Morse Code/Radio Communication?
I like how a kid was showing us factored instruction and I like the introduction to the video and I like how long ago people invented things.
Thank you so much for clearing up the confusion surrounding the scholarship! I think it would be really fun to have an activity or course that taught you how to use Morse Code.
The science live was great! I love r-51!
thank you DR. Rodgers for teaching about the scientific method and I can not wait to create my own hypothisis and create my own experiment.
R-51 is hilarious!
I’m very proud that Tyler, who participated Acellus, taught us everything about how to do math the easy way.
.・°-: ✧☾R-51 is so funny and I can’t wait for next week☽✧ :-°・. \(☆▽☆)/
What is your favorite robot pose
I like to watch science live with my family.
We train our brains with studying kind of like the robot was trained to fall in those poses.
my mom and I watched together. We love the silly robots!
The r 51 T-shirt was cool!
I love inventing things
It’s incredible that they’re programing robots to fall in a way that doesn’t break any fragile parts! Not something I’d typically think about when I concider the building of a robot, but I mean it makes a whole lot of sense!
How old was Mr. Billings when he got his first invention?
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE
We enjoy watching these as a family. Even my little sister likes to watch with us.
Robots and their potential uses are so interesting!
vectored instructions has helped me a lot in math that’s why thank you Acellus for vector instructions.
“She said that to ALL her students R-51, what is wrong with you?” Haha, R-51 is so funny! Great Science Live.
The Acellus gold study part was interesting I had no idea that Acellus did that
The R-51 part was funny
I loved how scientists perfected robots falling and made them fall with style! And R-51 was funny too!
Science live is so fun and entertaining to learn from!
I like when Lady said always be kind and respectful to everyone. Its so true!
The science live today was very interesting especially the Morse code!
is science live actually live
I received my shirt Monday. Thank you so much for choosing my shirt to be in the tip 12. It really means a lot to me!
where is the acellus building located?
I love that science live continues to get better and better each time that you watch it, my favorite part of the week is getting to sit down and enjoy watching another terrific science live!
This Science live was extra special because i want to be an inventor when i grow up.
I really like this episode because of not only R 51, but I’m starting to get a couple of ideas of a invention that i want to create for Avation. The next generation of Commerical Jets and then supersonic aircraft. Kind of like the Concord but it hasn’t flown since the 2003 to 2005 year. It was taken out of production and is not allowed to fly at all for the last 20 or so years.
I want a robot🤖😂
love this show!
i like that you are teaching us to invent
Awesome! still figuring out what shirt I’m gonna buy
Thank you for science live. I was not excited for it at the beginning but now I look forward to it
Learning is so important!!! Thanks for Science Live!
I feel like an inventioneer just from watching these!
Microscopes are very interesting to look into and they are very fun to study and research things.
I am very greatful for being able to have the opportunity to do Acellus for my school!!!!!
I love Science LIVE and all the teaching moments, success stories and of course, the funny moments.
I love how every week on Science Live, there’s something new to learn about. It really helps keep me engaged and continuously interested.
Thanks for the info on how to study on acellus! I need help with my reading.
I love all the features on acellus!
R.51 is awesome👍
This science live was amazing.
Science Live is my favorite part of the week.
learning about the beginning of e mail was interesting
I want to learn how to read morse code. r-51 is funny.
Science Live is cool because we learn about a lot of new things and inventions!
How long does it take to get a patent on an invention?
I learned about how to invent, as well as how to engineer existing inventions.
This science live was amazing, i loved learning about morse code
Dr. John’s spotlight is always my favorite part of these videos. I love hearing what he has to say.
I loved this episode of science live. It has inspired me to invent something!
I love Science Live!
Science Live is awesome!
I love Science Live, it is so much fun to watch and learn. You make learning so much more fun!
WE LOVE R-51!!!!!! 🩷
I love these videos they are so good and cool. Learning about the Morse code was so cool and interesting 🤔.
Are you guys able to create something like an Asl 2 in the near future? I did Asl 1 last year and it was so much fun.
That is so cool how the first email was sent. I never knew the @ symbol was used 100s of years before the first email.
I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to be apart of the scholarship program and watch Science Live. Thank you guys so much!
r51 is very funny
Science live is the G.O.A.T
I like Dr. John’s part where the robots can protect themselves when they fall, but can make it look cool when they are on the ground.
Yet another insightful Science Live. Thank you!
I always love BREAKTHROUGH Moments in science with Dc Tobais
Hello! Will you do coverage on the meteor passing by Earth in December?
Learning about morse code and how it led to the creation of email was interesting, I had no idea over 347 million emails were sent every day.
My dad has taught me some Morse Code since the last Science Live.
dr roger billings is there maybe in the future going to be a hydrogen telephone
My mom is a great inventor when she cooks!
Thank you Dr. Roger Billings for another inspiring science live, I am looking forward to the next one!
My great grandfather was an inventor. He had 3 patents.
how can you take inventing to another level
How does the amount of sunlight a plant receives each day affect its rate of growth
R 51 is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This one was so good, I loved it!!! We should have a Morse Code Class!!!!
I wonder how long it took Disney to make that falling prototype robot.
The robots falling positions were very funny, and I always love R-51’s part
This Science Live episode was absolutely amazing!
I like Dr. Tobias’s Breakthrough moments in Science
I love R-51!!!!
Thank you all for doing science live! I always love watching r-51
r-51 never fails to make us laugh!!
I love the robot and when DR. John watch the robot. He said: Ohh, the mean guy with the stick🤣
R-51 Is the best. He is so funny 🤣
i love Paget! shes my favorite.
I really liked today’s lesson on Morse code and It was actually way more interesting than I expected. I never knew people could communicate just by using a series of dots and dashes, or that different kinds of radios could reach totally different distances.
R-51 is super funny 😂 .
Funniest ScienceLive ever!!!
I was not expecting the end with r-51, I didn’t realize so many emails are sent daily. Also you should make a morse code class.
this one was awesome! and appreciate the r-51
If you could invent one thing today, what would it be and why?
When you told the story about your mentor’s mentor Thomas Edison, it was really inspiring. I believe if everyone commited to their goals without letting go, this world would be a much better place.
does Tobias have his own podcast.
So awesome!! Science Live is fun and cool but it also helps me with learning, so thank you Acellus team for what y’all do!!
r-51 is pretty cool
i love the jokes at the start of every science live
Hello from San Antonio TX!!! another great episode of science live
Fantastic Science Live!
This was a great episode for inspiring inventors. Thank you!
We are thankful for the scholarship. I’m not sure that we could do Acellus without it. Thank you.
Wonder what r51 will do next he’s so funny.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE MORSE CODE GAME.
This was a very fun and educational. Thank ya’ll!
I did not know the at symbol came from Italy.
I love the idea of there being a Morse code option in activities! The people who came up with that (and everyone else here of course) are so creative! I’ve always wanted to learn, so this is my chance!
R-51 is the funniest.
Hi from Florida! I loved this weeks science live can’t wait till next week.
Amazing! I love watching it!
We promise to keep our word, and watch. It will be later in the week after the live because of the time, but we will watch.
This was AWESOME!!
Science live is always so interesting.
i love science live! The morse code sounds fun!
Taylor from Austin TX I love science live!!!