The Relay
December 10, 2025 • EPISODE 290
How does a simple relay help us understand electricity and circuits? In this episode of Science LIVE, Roger Billings breaks down the science behind the relay—the clever electromagnetic switch that makes it possible to control circuits with precision. Learn how relays work, why they’re essential in everyday electronics, and how this simple idea became a building block for modern technology. A clear, hands-on look at one of engineering’s most important tools.
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 »
Hi from Vietnam
thank you Roger billings!
What a great episode. My first one too! Looking forward to many more.
poor r-51:(
that electric affect almost looked real it was crazy.
R51 is so funny he is the best part of the show!
R51 is so funny lol
Great episode Mr. Billings, and Mrs. Monet, see you next week!
Didn’t know that was how WD=40 was made!
Hi from Nevada
I liked this episode today!
Hi from Illinois
r-51 is so funny! 😆
R-51 is sooo funny! 😂
R51 got shocked
I learned so much in this Science Live, it was all so amazing and mind-blowing! Science is awesome! R-51 is hilarious!
does DR. Rogers have a pet
R-51 is such a scoundrel, though funny.
Spectacular video loved it so much. See you next week!
I own horses and we like to use WD-40 in their main and tails to get tangled and knots out of it!
I’m signed in from Michigan.
Hello from Mississippi.
Thanks for the info Dr. B and goodnight!
That served R-51 right 🤪🤭😂
Hello! From North Carolina here, and I’d like to say how fascinating the WD-40 is, what it actually is, and its original purpose! So thank you for teaching us that amazing thing, Acellus!
Hi from Virginia
This was a great science live. I am glad that I learn new things everyday!
I’m Victoria, I think the bell was really cool and a great experiment.
That zap was so funny 🤣
Thank you roger billings
enjoyed watching the experiment thank you
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE. I CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK..😁
I love WD-40 i use it a lot for my dirt bikes and go karts and rusted nails and tools too!
Cool experiment!
That was really cool! I look forward to the next one!
loved it !! Can’t wait for next Wednesday
I can’t wait for next weeks lesson and I love how he never fails to make learning entertaining and enjoyable!!
Thanks so much! Man, can you imagine what it was like being around when that kind of tech was first invented? I wonder what future generations will think of our technology.
Even though I’m on my last class until I can graduate, I’ve yet to apply to any colleges. Well aleast if they use DNA you’ll almost never have to worry about your data being stolen. Pretty sure there’s a saying that goes: If you don’t succeed try, try, and try again. It usually works in a wide range of circumstances.
same!
Great episode!
science live rocks ! we love acellus
I loved that science live!
thanks for the live!
WD40 thing was cool.
This science live was awesome!
This science live was amazing!
Hi. Thanks
I love the expression of keep trying…No matter what happens you never give up…cuz you may have to try 10 times to maybe 50 times….Then you get it right an you have made a Solution for yourself and also other’s
Hi from Florida
i love R51 haha!
This was cool.
thats so cool!! Im so glad I seen this live.
This science live was amazing!
hi
Joshua, I like how you help people to use Acellus if they have any problems.
love the live.
That was funny.
Hello! Kylie from New York, Happy holidays!!!
Great live!
I love Area 51
Hello
Thanks again for everything.
Is r 51 ok 🤣
I love science live
Wow, I never knew that about Wd40!
Science is like magic
bye!
Cool
keep it up
Comment hey this was funny*
Glad to see he has an electric personality
HELLO
Hello from Texas! I enjoyed this science live.
wow this was so interesting
The spoon relay was really cool to see
I love science live
Learning about WD-40 and what it can do was really fascinating. I also enjoyed watching Dr. Roger Billings do the experiment !
Radio waves! Interesting!
Hello this is Zoey Jenkins from NC! I really enjoyed when we talked about the history and the story about WD-40 and how the formula is a secret and how its took forty tries to get the correct formula.
man I love r-51 he’s so funny!
I want to make that is was so cool. love learning on sciene live
Loved the video
====awsome vid i learned alot
I really liked watching the video!
thank you for the live!
What a great science live
I can’t wait for next weeks meeting!
I loved learning all of the uses of WD40!
Who was the first person to understand what DNA was?
thats crazy that you can use DNA for storage!
R 51 is hilarious
Hi from tennessee
Thank you for showing us how the relay was used!
Thank you
So excited for the next one!
What was a good episode!
Good evening! Great episode today !!
I enjoyed the lesson this evening. I loved learning about WD 40 as my mom and dad use it all the time.
Oh no, R-51 what did you do to your lab?
thank you for this weeks viddeo
Can’t wait for the next Sicence Live!
HI
NASA proves if u fail u can try again and succeed!
This Science live was so interesting!!
It was a good live.
How do you make bells using batteries?
I loved it
R51 is very funny
I like learning
Hello
I never knew how WD-40 was made! I love how much you learn with science live.
I love video !
zap
I love learning things on the lives!
It is nice to hear.
Hi from vermont
That was very cool
I learned a lot from this awesome video.
I had no idea how big the role of the bell in the radio is. It’s insane to imagine that a little chunk of metal would really vibrate due to electrical signals and actuate sound we are able to hear. The way it really converts invisible energy into real, executable noise is so cool to me. It makes me all the more appreciate how radios work.
Thank you so much!
Thank you!!
Thanks for the great live session tonight!
This was so interesting!!
great live!
today was fun
Hi from Louisville Ky i did not know the origin of WD-40, interesting.
Great Live tonight!!
Great video
Thanks have a goodnight everyone
r51 is so funny
Thank you
learned so much thanks!
that scares me when areac51 got electricuted.
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE!
I just finished watching it live 🙂
I enjoyed the episode! Thank you
It is amazing learning with acellus
Will they actually use human DNA in phones for data?
I’m from ga good lesson
Yet another cool science live
R-51 is hilarious as always!
that little snowman was so cute!!
So interesting and so shocking! I wondered what was holding the spoons up in the bowl…silicone!
R-51 better watch out loll
Loved the science live have a great restor the week!
This is such an encouragement every week! Thank you!
I really enjoyed this science live because it expanded my knowledge on WD40!
R-51 is the best!
Do you have to have a specific coil to make the invention for the coherer.
It’s very important to keep trying, and to never give up, just like the company tried 40 times.
Thank you all! See you next Wednesday!
Hello from Texas! Always excited to learn!
Such a nice continuation of last week’s adventure! The experiments are always so cool to see, and I’m excited to learn about vacuum tubes next time!
Science Live is the best! I really enjoyed this Science Live!
Thanks for teaching us something new, Dr. B!
R-51 was so funny.
I loved how Dr.Billings was making the lights and bell ring by only using aluminum!
Is there a course to teach us how to set up these scientific experiment step by step at Acellus ?
R51 so funny!!! xD xD xD xD XD XD
How many volts of electricity to make the spoons colide
Good evening! I’m so glad to be learning this and seeing this live!! ^^
Loved this episode so much!
– Nasa is proof that if you try enough times you will succeed!
– I had no idea that WD40 had that many uses!
– Its crazy how employees stealing product created a multi-million dollar empire!
Think about when these inventions first came out, to the every day person it was like real magic for them.
I have a question is a “Cohearer” more responsive with less tin foil in the cup or, is it less effective with more tin foil in it? I have a feeling it would be technically fine with more or less tin in it but you have to make sure that it has enough to conduct the wave to the thing you are trying to make it connect too.
Thank you!
I loved it
The spoon relay demo was my favorite part of today’s Science Live. Thanks for that.🙂
i like R-51 👍
Wait AI Can’t drink coffee.
loved the experiment
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE
loved today class and more about dna.
When is R51s birthday
R51 was funny tonight.
I really enjoyed the story that Tobias told about WD-40 and how it’s important to keep trying. I’m always inspired when I watch Science Live!
awesome episode!
This was very interesting. Thanks to Science Live, I love learning about new things. R51 is so funny.
Greeting from the border in South Texas
I love R-51, he is so funny.
Mason from San Antonio love the experiment today
R51 is so funny
I love r-51
i really liked this experiment
he is funny.
Hi from South Carolina