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 »
This video taught me so much! thanks Mr. Billings!
Thank you so much Dr. Billings!
Is it true that radio waves can interfere with airplane navigation technology?
Thanks Mr. Billings! Very insightful .
The dad joke got me crying laughing
Tuned in from Texas
What a great science live. I cant wait for graduation one day!
Thank you Dr. Billings!
Hello, from Nevada!!
I think its cool how many people graduated last year!
this segment shows how a simple relay turns basic electrical principles into precise control, revealing why this small device plays such a big role in modern technology.
Happy holidays everyone!
It was fun to learn more about radio waves.
How can electric waves be used?
Very cool! Thank you Dr. B!
Thank you Dr. Billings! That was really interesting.
Hi, I’m Amari, And l’m going to be a scientist. Science is very interesting.
It’s amazing how you can use WD-40 for many things.
I love science will be trying this.
I can’t wait to tell my mom about how they make WD40. She uses it all the time. It took them a whole 40 times to get it right, which shows they didn’t give up even when it was hard and failed so many times.
i dont know why but every time i watch science live i feel like so smart!
It’s crazy how many times it took to make WD40! Learn something new everyday!
Dr.billings is so cool
I truly enjoy watching these, they always have something more for me to learn about. thank you!
I love R51 sooooo much he’s my favorite part of these videos
My name is Angelo and I’m am excited to join Acellus.
Science Live is amazing, i watching every week .
This is so cool, I love learning new things with Acellus !
So much information! Very intelligent
love it!!
Science live is the best!!
I think the lesson to never give up is so important.
The experiments are awesome.
Caleb learned about relay from Dr Billings. This is wonderful, I got a relay out of my HVAC van and showed him the comparison with Dr billing’s example and the standard blower motor relays we use in my trade. He is interested into anything electrical and art.
Thankyou for “sparking” no pun intended his interest.
Caleb’s Father
C.J. Dempsey
This episode helped me understand how a relay works and why it is important in electricity and circuits. I learned that a relay uses an electromagnet to turn a circuit on and off safely. It was interesting to see how something simple can be used in many everyday electronics.
Love R51 and the lives!
My dad uses WD 40.
Love R51!
R-51 it is so cool, i want him!
Hey, hey, hey fam! Mason here. I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Early Christmas. I heard from Doctor Joshua that there will be a graduation ceremony soon around the beginning of 2026. It’s also a great opportunity to meet your peers and your Acellus teachers for each one of your courses! Keep studying learners and Happy Holidays!
I enjoyed tonight’s Science Live. Thank you.
Watching from South Carolina!
My Dad uses WD40 for quite a few projects around the house .
amazing Video! always funny, educational and entertaining!
Good lesson, thank you science live!
I asked for WD40 for Christmas!
I love R51!
I love the science live this week. I learned so much. I hope next weeks video is similar.
Thank you Dr. Billings!!
I like the way Dr. Roger Billings explained about Marconi’s inventions, such as the two spoon invention, and the bell ringer invention.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
This was very interesting about wd40. I will have to try it for gum on my shoes lol
Yes, the college application season! Very exciting! A bit nervewracking to be honest, but I’m more excited! That is amazing that the class that graduated from Acellus last year was so big. Acellus really makes a big impact!
Thank you so much for making science live! It’s really enjoyable and fun to watch!
I like learning about WD-40
I was so sad when I thought Lady Pajet Monet was not here this week! but the part where is talks about how it took 40 try’s to make WD40 is also pretty cool!
Code red! R-51 is inside area 51, call the national guard!
I love Science Live! All the segments are so interesting!
This episode was very interesting, I loved learning about WD-40 and all of its uses! My parents use it all the time
thank you acellus
The WD40 and NASA connection was actually really interesting!
i found it interesting how they came up with wd40
is r51 ok!!??
Hi, we are watching as a family.
These Science lives remind me of “How It’s Made” super facinating!
How does the structure of DNA allow it to store genetic information and be copied accurately when cells divide?
With the DNA storage Dr. John discussed, would it be possible for hackers to then obtain our DNA?
I love dr billings live class
Watching from Chicago Illinois
So Cool!!!!!!!
That was a great demo of a relay!
How did Dr . Roger Billing know how many batterie’s he would need to make the bell to ring?
So Cool!!!!!!!!!
I thought it was fascinating to learn more about how WD40 came about.
I love science live.
The story about Wd 40 was interesting! I’m getting more and more motivated about becoming an inventor lol😭excited for the next live!
watching from Nevada!! Love to see this every week
Never give up!
Wow, Mind blown!!!☺️
i have to tell my mom this story about WD-40. She uses it for lots of things.
There are so many useful ways to use WD-40
That is a really cool device with the corhereher and the bell.
Great episode this week! The information about DNA was really interesting.
I am a new student so this was my first Science Live. I really enjoyed seeing the experiments.
Dr Billings is so smart! Science live is awsome!
I love to share these science lives with my classmates!
Did not expect R-51 to actually get shocked lol
I like how NASA used WD-40
It was so cool to learn how WD40 got started. Dr. Tobias, always has interesting stories to talk about. Who would have known that a product that was for the rockets at NASA, would be a household product all over the countries.
I like learning about DNA!!!
Such an awesome science live! Science is the best
Amazing story about WD-40! Never knew this. Thanks for sharing!!!
Wow, Dr Billings is so smart!
I love this show.
Going to have to try the trick to get bugs off our windshield!
science live is the best.
I love that you can keep the lives both hilarious and informative.
It’s crazy how big those classes sounded, and congrats to the 2026 graduates!!!
Perfect way to end off the work week
I’d love to try these experiments myself some time. Thank you for a great live, I look forward to the next!
So glad to finally get to watch Science live!
I love R-51
I enjoyed getting to understand how people sent Morse through the coherer. Radio, and by proxy, transistors, are a fascinating topic, and it’s nice to learn the concepts behind them. Thank you for the lecture.
I love science live, it helps me understand science a lot more.
never knew how a relay worked ,now I do !
Hi from Texas! R-51 is really funny and this was a great science live!
That’s crazy that it took 40 try’s! That just proves that you should push through when things don’t go well.
It was really cool to learn about how WD-40 took forty tries to find the correct solution. Persistence is a really important part of things. I didn’t know you could take apart stuck Legos with it, though; that would’ve been helpful a long time ago.
I never knew the story of WD-40! It was very interesting and inspiring to learn about. Also the segment about DNA and data?! This was a great lecture.
loved this episode!!!
I like how they made WD-40! It’s cool to know NASA used it too!
Thanks again Dr. Billings!
Thank you Dr. Billings this one was great!!!!
Science Live is the most interesting when it includes experiments. Happy Friday! 🙂
That’s so cool how you could use the spoon’s to help make the light work.
My dad used WD40 once on the door so it would not make noise. I did not know you could use if for other things.
My grandfather builds antique car for a living and WD 40 is a staple in his garage.
THIS IS COOL!
Watching From Tennessee.
Really cool!!! Making circuits and stuff when it was first invented probably took a very LONG time to figure out!! The story of WD 40 is very interesting!! I cannot wait for the next live, see you all Wednesday and Merry Christmas!!
As one who is a visual learner, I always appreciate Dr. Billings science lives !!
Hi, I’m watching with my mom and dad.
I have always been curious what WD40 stands for! Interesting!
Thomas Edison Said To Succeed Try Just One More Time. This Is Very Inspirational *
This was awesome!
Dr Billings is the smartest!!
I love Science Live!
good luck to all of the seniors! I hope they make it into collage!!
this inspired me and I’m sure it inspired many others
Learning new ideas on science live is great.
Science Live is awesome!
The DNA facts were so fun to learn about!
I didn’t know WD40 was Originally made for NASA, you learn new things every day.
I find the new discovery of one single cell holding 3.2 gigabytes of data in human DNA to be fascinating!
I love r51 he is funny
Thank you for the Science Live, it was interesting!
I always have a good time watching these because I always learn something different.
The story about WD40 was really cool
Relays are cool and intresting
Watching from Hawaii.
Radio waves are very cool.
I feel bad for r-51 he got shocked.
Neat info about wd40 my dad will like hearing about it.
I loved the ending so funny!
That WD 40 was insane, another great lesson from Dr.Billings!
Hiii from Texas you guys make learning fun
My dad says you can fix anything with WD40 and a pocket knife.
In this week’s episode of Science Live ‘The Relay,’ Dr. John in the ‘Technology Spotlight’ talked about DNA startups and how they work. Dr. Tobias in ‘Science Breakthroughs’ talked about NASA and the invention of the WD-40. In the final segment, Dr. Roger Billings talked about relays in electricity and how they work.
DNA is so interesting to me!
WD40 is everywhere now, that’s an awesome story behind a successful product.
I love all the jokes and cool things that Dr. Joseph says!
HI IM FROM ALABAMA I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE!!!!!!
I had no idea WD40 had so many uses.
I loved this weeks Science Live, it was very interesting. I was interested in the little plate that can hold 60 GB. Do you think it can hold 120GB one day? I would like to learn more about how these storage devices are physically made. Thank Dr. Billings!
Amazing! This week is so far the best! My family uses WD40 a lot.
Great episode! I love the experiments.
Thank you Mr. Billings! Cool!
It’s very helpful that Dr. B is going through the entire process. It’s very helpful and encouraging.
Wow it was so amazing learning about WD-40 who knew it took 40 tries!!!
R-51 is so funny.
DNA is kind of like a “about yoursef” file.😁😁😁
Loved this weeks science spotlight! Very interesting.
how cool! The Wd40 name makes sense now 😀
Hi DrB could you do a vid on the science behind ovens sometime? thanks!
Tobias is the goat
Science Live is awesome.
wd-40 is a great invention!
This week on Science Live, Dr. John talked about cassettes that can keep your storage. This week also on Science Live, Tobias talked about WD-40. This week lastly on Science Live, Dr. Roger Billings talked about the relay.
thank you dr.billings!
I love these science lives. Thank you Acellus. Can’t wait until next week.
I never knew it went on after terabyte, I thought it stopped after that.
I like the part about DNA I did not know about it could store knowledge.
Love this science live awesome!!!
How much fuel does the rocket need to go up in space?
Hi from California! I didn’t know the backstory about WD-40, it was really cool. We use it a lot but I wasn’t aware of all the things you can use it for. Thanks
Science live is cool!