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 »
I learned that people have to teach robots too!
The robot “fall with style” story was quite interesting because I had never really thought of that being a problem. Accepting the limitations of robots and working around them is quite smart.
I loved hearing about all his experiences with technology.
R51 is really awesome. For real!
Keep learning and you will invent something great!
This science live was awesome🤣
I loved hearing about all your experiences with technology.
I’ve always wanted to know more about morse code. Thank you for the info!
I loved hearing about all his experiences with technology.
I know I always say that I love Science news, but It’s just nice to know everything! thank you for Science news!!!
When it comes to Morse code, what would be the easiest way to learn about Morse code and even how to apply it into your daily life?
I would love for Acellus to add a Morse code course.
Can Disney’s robots adapt to unexpected changes in trajectory or wind during a stunt?
I can’t wait until Acellus puts Morse Code in the activity’s!
This was an awesome science live!
i like how the robot was doing poses.
Good thing I watch Science Live. I know how to fall gracefully now!
I absolutely love science live!
Robots are very cool.
We love science history!
I really liked this science love and how it shows us the robots!
I’ve always wandered about Morse code, so this is so awesome!
We are excited about science history!
I love science live!!!
Great episode! I really liked learning about the first Email! Have a nice day everyone!
Great live as usual! Codes and cyphers are super fun to get into.
I love robots, and AI is awesome
Sometimes I wonder how far we would have made it without science.
Science is cool.
I liked r51
Science live is fun to listen to
I love it when it’s R51 part in the video.
The part about morse code is so interesting!!
I loved this one!!
Science live never let’s us down with a video 😀 There always so fun to watch!
Are ufos real
I liked watching the robots fall cool ways.
I like science live.
I liked when Dr John talked about robots that fall with style.
Loved the Breakthrough moments in history !!
what are some common applications in Morse codes communication system today?
I have an idea for a new communication invention. I’m really looking forward to learning about how to actually make it.
Ps, when is the 2026 Acellus Science Fair, and when is the deadline?
If Rodger billings is a Kansas City Chiefs fan, it would just be one more thing that me and him relate to. Science Live is awesome, go chiefs!
I think a Morse Code class would be excellent!
Are other scientists going to start using the microscope that Tokyo has?
Science Live is great for learning.
I like this series on inventions.
the future of robotics is insane.
That’s why Acellus works for me, it helps me understand when I dont get it at first it teaches another way
Did it matter how far away the computer was to send an email?
No robots were harmed, is funny.
Inventing things is so cool. I think Thomas Edison was amazing.
Thankyou for showing us how to invent.
science live is the best live ever i love it
Science is so intriguing.
Science live is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool
Love learning more about robots!
Who wrote the @ symbol
Morse Code could save someone’s life.
The part about morse code was so cool!😎
How does the Science Live scholarship work now, because it seems different from when I started on Acellus.
I always wanted to learn Morse Code!
I love science live!
Morse code could save someone’s life.
I really like the robots that were shown
You can flash lights for Morse code.
Hi guys! Happy to be back.
I love Acellus live
Love science lives , I look forward to them every Wednesday night!
Very interesting science live, I enjoyed the part about the robot
I tested out Morse code at a museum once. It was cool !
I would love to invent one day
Science live is very interesting. This one was exciting I liked making a shirt last time.
That’s very smart to test the falls. Then use AI to make falls easier and pose.
How do the inventors know that the robots won’t break when they hit them? They must be super duper smart!
I loved how the robots fell to protect thier batteries.
Loved the idea of “the next big thing.” The same can be applied to your life’s journey: “just keep on doing the next right thing” and you will find yourself on solid moral ground.
I would love to see a morse code training activity!
I can’t even imagine what robots and AI are going to be like in 10 to 20 years. I don’t know how these people are finding all of this technology and ect to make these crazy AI things. Someday were going to have robots as our maids or even our friends.
I liked the part about the Morse Code. How do antennas pick up radio waves?
It is crazy how technology has evolved.
Morse code is cool
R-51 is so funny!
I love science live!!
I love Science Live!
In my free time I always love to invent and create unique ideas!
R-51 is so cool !
Do you guys have an ag class for us farm/ranch kids
Is it hard to learn Morse code?
science live was really cool today
Why did it take such a long time after the invention in 1971 to have email start getting used all the time?
AI is a really exciting tool that we can use and I really want Dr Roger Billings to make a science live video about AI and what it could do to improve science today!
I think it would be really cool to learn Morse Code! This was a really cool science live!
science live just always has so many cool things to tell us about.
I enjoyed the story of email’s origins.
I want to learn how to know and send Morse code. That is very interesting!
I love science live
Morse code is so neat! This was a great science live!
I am excited to learn how scientists figured out how to send messages without wires.
science live is the best, my brother and i always like to watch it live. i want to be like Dr. billings when i grow up
I love learning with science Live.
i would like a morse code activity i think a lot of people would like it!
On average how many inventors come straight out of highschool inventing.
Loved this episode! The Morse code part was really cool, it made the whole idea of inventing from simple problems make so much sense.
I would love to learn morse code.
Invention transformed the world in a positive way.
Science live is great!
Thank you for sharing on how to start your invention step by step, my mom always say’s to take it step by step but I didn’t really understand until you used the step ladder analogy.
Morse Code would be fun to learn!
Amazing that Mr Billings was friends with Bill Lear.
Thank you for the Science Live this week! It was fun.
So cool that Mr Billings knew Bill Lear!
Science live is awesome
My family and I love Love Science!!!
Technology spotlight is my favorite part of science live.
I love ACELLUS!
R-51 is my favorite part in the Science Live and I also love the Science Live!
I never would have imagined @ was used so long ago. Thank you for the segment by Dr. Billings about being an inventor.
I liked the robots falling in a pose. The part about being an inventor was good.
Funny how email has taken over mailing
I like this episode. scratch that. I LOVE this episode
I’m happy there’s closed captioning. My brother and I watch a lot of stuff together, and he’s deaf, so it helps a ton. Thanks!
Comment This was an interesting Science live learning about the Robots and the Emails, and Morse code!
I really liked the boy who crumpled up his papers. That was funny!
Thank you so much for the amazing lesson!
The Morse code part was cool and r-51
I really like this weeks episode a lot it really helped me give a new perspective on how to invent
I love science lives and I love the robots
The Morse code segment is very interesting, how do you keep track of all the letters.
I’m definitely going to study morse code and coding when i grow up just to invent new things!
this science live was the best one yet!!!!!!!
Science live is my fav, you learn all these new things you never knew abt and watch all this cool stuff in action. the teachers are great at doing their job i love it.
I would sign up for a Morse Code class!
I learned Morse code is like a secret way to send messages to people. And a way to get help.
The email section was interesting.
The robots are awesome!
I don’t understand why students like my self wouldn’t want to watch these. Roger is funny smart and has a lot of important to say. So does everyone else in the science live, it just doesn’t make any sense at all these are great. It teaches valuable lessons, tells great stories, and it’s fun to watch. Especially the ending it absolutely hysterical I’m always laughing. But I do respect cutting off the scholarships because the student is not watching and everything.
Really impressive!! Can’t wait for the next one!! Hi from TX!
I would never even think about such interesting topic as Morse Code to talk about. Thank you.
Really excited for the next episode.
Thank you for continuing to support me in my schooling by having the scholarship program. I wouldn’t be able to attend if it weren’t for your scholarship program. My mom says she is extremely grateful. And our whole family enjoys watching science live together. Dr. John and Tobias always have such exciting things to share. This weeks robot falling into a pose was funny.
Great live! Inspiring!
Hi from Wisconsin! I am so excited to be here and I love acellus
Did you know that some inventions began as accidents or failed experiments?
love from louisiana!
I love the Science Lives Thank you!!!
I thought the Morse Code was super cool.
Thank you for the Science Lives they are awesome!!
They should make a Science Live about the invention of the first car.
I am sorry some people are not watching your science video. My mom and I really enjoyed it. It was very entertaining, educational, and covered many different topics. It created topics for us to discuss as a family. Morris code is cool. My mom can easily think of things to invent but can’t get credit because we didn’t know how to get it started- making items. I’m interested in the microscopes and robots. At first it seemed like it’s wasting time and money on robots falling. But after watching a few minutes, it;s clear that this will later be used to prevent elderly from breaking hips and other preventive measures. I hope you don’t stop making videos. I would watch it even without the scholarship.
Acellus students are really fortunate to have Dr Billings mentoring them and passing on what he learned from Bill Lear, including what Bill Lear shared with him that he learned from his mentor Thomas Edison.
Morse Code is so fun to learn about!
Happy Thanksgiving Mr. Billings!
I love Science Live very much!
I learn so many new things watching science live.
Can I get a super duper communicator?
So crazy to think how quickly computers have changed.
I really liked the way you explained how to begin to invent.
It’s cool seeing all the things people come up with
How can kids get started with inventions? How do you decide what materials you need?
science is interesting
Thank you for another amazing science live, I always enjoy these!
Science Live is my favorite thing!
I had no idea vectored instruction was so in depth! How cool
love the science lives
i love and Appreciate Doctor Billings and PJ Monet
I can’t wait to invent something big one day.
To inventors how did they come up with the idea? And which idea inspired or became the main point to inventing? Would inventing take many tries to be successful?
I absolutely love science live!! I always find it so interesting and I love that it is every week!
Loved this science live!!!!
Me and my mom love the vectored instructions it has helped me when I don’t fully get everything that’s taught acellus has helped my mom learn math she missed growing up and be able to help me understand. Thank you Acellus
I loved getting to hear from Tyler about the benefits of Vectored Instruction. I am so impressed that students typically score 40% higher than their previous score after filling in their knowledge gap. This shows just how helpful these additional lessons can be.
Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!
This just inspired me to invent something, thanks for helping me get an idea!
I love this!!! Acellus is the best curriculum ever!!