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 »

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5,063 Comments

  1. Rylan

    amazing live

    Reply
  2. Chloe

    Loving the live today!

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  3. Alina

    That is Amzing! I love science live!

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  4. Miranda

    I love to to watch science live! *

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  5. Jeremiah

    Hi form nj

    Reply
  6. Sierra

    I want to see R51

    Reply
  7. Lindsey

    Dna is very interesting

    Reply
  8. Mackenzie

    Loved this weeks lesson!

    Reply
  9. Katelyn

    Hello! Signing in from North Carolina! I’m very curious on if we could learn more on NASA next week as we’ve been doing the past two weeks now!

    Reply
  10. Roberto

    Hello from Brazil!!!

    Reply
  11. Sarah

    What makes water work with steel?

    Reply
  12. Levi

    Happy Wednesday from Texas!

    Reply
  13. Liliana

    Hi from Oregon.

    Reply
  14. Ever

    Hi, from Texas!

    Reply
  15. Jivan

    tech spotlight is the best. I’m probably gonna go into marine biology, but technology has always had a space in my brain.

    Reply
  16. Elise

    I breakthrough moments!

    Reply
  17. Gillian

    WD40!

    Reply
  18. Eden

    Hello! This is interesting!

    Reply
  19. Sarah

    hi from Lubbock texas

    Reply
  20. Mackinzey

    Hi from Nevada. Love science live.

    Reply
  21. Cason

    Hi from Texas I liked learning about nasa and the space ships

    Reply
  22. Brandon

    Hi from Florida!

    Reply
  23. Yahvi

    There must be so much data storage in your brain!! Edison, in New Jersey is named after Thomas Edison and I live in New jersey!!! That’s so cool!!!

    Reply
  24. Lascelles

    There are so many things I never knew!

    Reply
  25. Kane

    hello from Texas

    Reply
  26. Ruben

    how does the DNA hook up to the computer?????????

    Reply
  27. Sheldon

    Hello from Las Vegas. I love science live

    Reply
  28. Kellis

    Hello from NC!

    Reply
  29. Jerry

    I love Science live

    Reply
  30. Skyler

    hi from hawaii

    Reply
  31. Jayden

    hello from Illinois so excited for todays video

    Reply
  32. Julian

    Hello New here from ILLINOIS.

    Reply
  33. Nicholas

    Hi from Virginia! Using DNS for storage is really cool and interesting.🤨

    Reply
  34. Paul

    Why does the rocket need a shield to protect it?

    Reply
  35. Michael

    When was rocket air craft made

    Reply
  36. Caroline

    Hi it is Caroline too or from Georgia

    Reply
  37. Caleb

    Hello from North Carolina

    Reply
  38. Adrianna

    Watching from North Carolina!!

    Reply
  39. Timothy

    Howdy from Texas!

    Reply
  40. Malaya

    hi from louisiana

    Reply
  41. Justin

    Hello from PA

    Reply
  42. Alliyah

    Hi! From Texas

    Reply
  43. Gabriel

    Who started in NASA?

    Reply
  44. Gabriella

    If I finish all my schooling early, would I still graduate the same year originally or earlier? I’m supposed to graduate in 2028 but is it possible to finish all my schooling and graduate earlier?

    Reply
  45. Klara

    Hello from Minnesota

    Reply
  46. Lascelles

    This is very interesting thank you

    Reply
  47. Abbygale

    I love the Thomas Edison comment. I will always try again. Good reminder to never give up.

    Reply
  48. Adessa

    Hi from Kansas!

    Reply
  49. Samuel

    That is so interesting

    Reply
  50. Jonathan

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
  51. Angel

    dna as storage is such a crazy thing i would have never guessed our bodies were so insane

    Reply
  52. Reese

    How many valedictorians does Acellus have each graduation year?

    Reply
  53. Laney

    DNA is so cool!

    Reply
  54. Dayton

    There is no limit for invention

    Reply
  55. Mary

    Hey from Georgia.

    Reply
  56. Gavin

    When is the estimated time that humans will be able to go to Mars?

    Reply
  57. Donovan

    always interesting to learn about materials and about spaceships

    Reply
  58. Devuhnaire

    Hello from California

    Reply
  59. Noah

    Did they go aluminum?

    Reply
  60. Jesus

    who was the first person to discover how to use dna?

    Reply
  61. Orion

    How are helium cloud made

    Reply
  62. Kingston

    Hi from Illinois

    Reply
  63. Jayden

    Hi from Florida!

    Reply
  64. Phoenix

    That’s cool, who knew you could store data using DNA?

    Reply
  65. Kaius

    Hi from Montana = )

    Reply
  66. Hudson

    very interesting!!

    Reply
  67. M

    .1 Keep on the good work everybody! 😉

    .2 i 💗 science live!

    .3 Science is the best! 💗🌸🌸

    .4 I love science 🧪🧬

    Reply
  68. Dennis

    what’s up from Nebraska!

    Reply
  69. Joshua

    Thrilled for this week’s episode!

    Reply
  70. Nicholas

    Hello from illinois!

    Reply
  71. Kassidy

    Dna to store pictures is awesome

    Reply
  72. Elizabeth

    Hello from North-Eastern NY!

    Reply
  73. Levi

    i think you should not give up

    Reply
  74. Zoe

    Hello from the milky way

    Reply
  75. Joel

    How did DNA form and how does it work what is the point of DNA?

    Reply
  76. Gerome

    Hello from Oklahoma!

    Reply
  77. Valerie

    Hello from Nevada!!

    Reply
  78. Demetrius

    hello from mongomery

    Reply
  79. Maeve

    How do you put the data into the DNA?

    Reply
  80. Scout

    its incredible you can take DNA data and fit it in the palm of your hand

    Reply
  81. Yoel

    Hello from New York

    Reply
  82. Saiya

    Hi! From penn state, go birds1

    Reply
  83. Braxton

    I don’t think you should give up!

    Reply
  84. Jacob

    do you believe that someone could make a robot that can hold more data than humans?

    Reply
  85. Austin

    hello from texas

    Reply
  86. Madeline

    Hello Merry Christmas

    Reply
  87. Cyra

    how long does it normally take for a rocket to be built

    Reply
  88. Emily

    I love how much I can learn so much from Science Live!

    Reply
  89. Sayra

    Dna for storage is actually really cool imagine how the future could be with it.

    Reply
  90. Abriela

    ohhhh i cant wait to start to learn about space

    Reply
  91. Siya

    Hello, from Kansas!

    Reply
  92. William

    if you are working on something and actually get far before getting stuck/slightly demotivated I’d say keep on pushing

    Reply
  93. Sebastian

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
  94. Rutledge

    My dad was saying he used to have cassettes a long time ago, crazy how sometimes things come back!

    Reply
  95. Lesley

    imagine how far we can go from where we started with electronics.

    Reply
  96. Wyatt

    hello from Maine exited for tonight

    Reply
  97. Sophia

    I think you should try over and over again till you get it how you want it.

    Reply
  98. Phoenix

    That’s cool, who knew you could use DNA to store data?

    Reply
  99. Natalie

    10/10 explanation DNA as a form of data storage is wild

    Reply
  100. Kenneth

    dna storage is amazing more storage for more stuff how would you use it though

    Reply
  101. Naomi

    Hello from mississippi!!!

    Reply
  102. Ameir

    Good evening, I really enjoy watching science live. It was interesting learning more about DNA and how it we incorporate that data very insightful information.

    Reply
  103. Natalie

    I always enjoy watching Science Live!

    Reply
  104. Dean

    Hank you, Dr Jon! All of that info on DNA was very interesting. Would love to know more.

    Reply
  105. Taylor

    Hi! From Montana

    Reply
  106. Aiden

    How does the dna in the cassette work exactly?

    Reply
  107. Kaitlyn

    How is data stored on a phone?

    Reply
  108. Ian

    Aloha from Hawai’i!

    Reply
  109. Ashlyn

    Greetings from Illinois!

    Reply
  110. Natasha

    What organization started trying to storge DNA?

    Reply
  111. Ellery

    What does DNA stand for?

    Reply
  112. Adrian

    Could the DNA storage technology be used as a fail-safe against the extinction of endangered animals, preserving their DNA to brought back in the future, similar to Jurassic Park?

    Reply
  113. Alice

    Practice till I get it right

    Reply
  114. Briley

    If your trying to invent something you should try until you get it right and don’t give up

    Reply
  115. Lariat

    Haw much dna is in your body

    Reply
  116. Shania

    Hello from Florida!

    Reply
    • Joel

      Hello from Indiana

      Reply
    • Stella

      hello science live!!!

      Reply
  117. Leah

    do you believe that someone could make a robot that can hold more data than humans?

    Reply
    • Keagan

      yes!!!!!!!because I’m going t make it!

      Reply
  118. Arlyanis

    wow so interesting

    Reply
  119. Alexa

    Hello from New Jersey!

    Reply
  120. Neo

    What is the estimated cost of DNA storage compared to the price of a SSD?

    Reply
  121. Emma

    Hello from Missouri!

    Reply
  122. Brynn

    It’s wonderful that even kids going through homeschooling, can still have a graduation of their own. I’m glad that they get to experience one too.

    Reply
  123. Allison

    hey hey

    Reply
  124. Quinn

    Are there any other uses for this DNA storage system?

    Reply
  125. Alexander

    Hi from Maine.

    Reply
  126. Elijah

    Hi from tx

    Reply
  127. Margaret

    how much DNA does it take to make a item with it?

    Reply
  128. Lillietta

    Hello from Missouri! Got to love science live

    Reply
  129. Corryn

    How could we use this storage decive in every day life?

    Reply
  130. Faith

    Hi from Houston TX

    Reply
  131. Nathaniel

    How does the body make DNA?

    Reply
  132. Abigail

    I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE

    Reply
  133. Raenyn

    flash drives store alot of data to

    Reply
  134. Trinity

    Hi from Alabama!!

    Reply
  135. Reagan

    Is the tape they use a cassette tape like the old cassette tapes that were used for recording music or is is the same concept but a different type of material on it to store the DNA? That’s wild though to think that’s it’s a “new but old” technology. Cool!

    Reply
  136. Emma

    you should NEVER give up when you try something!

    Reply
  137. Izzabella

    I learn something new every day about DNA.

    Reply
  138. Sean

    Hello from Long Beach, how do you load data with the stored data in the DNA cassette tape?

    Reply
  139. Banah

    I heard about science live

    Reply
  140. Nicolas

    I love prehistoric animals

    Reply
  141. Avery

    That’s cool, I didn’t know you could use DNA storage like that!

    Reply
  142. Ava

    From Illinois I saw a lot of interesting things today!

    Reply
  143. Greydon

    Happy wednesday everybody!! Love from ny

    Reply
  144. Riley

    That’s genuinely fascinating to learn about 😮

    Reply
  145. Brooklyn

    Dr. John always talks about the most interesting things! And I am excited for todays science live.

    Reply
  146. Alexis

    The storage of DNA is crazy, and I thought that it was just Science Fiction

    Reply
  147. Leonardo

    How is data stored on a computer?

    Reply
  148. Alexander

    Tech is amazing. I think tech is the most important thing we have today.

    Reply
  149. Reeselyn

    That’s super cool how they can dehydrate dna and make it a powder

    Reply
  150. Mathew

    Hello from Bentonville Arkansas

    Reply
  151. Barrett

    We need to start using DNA for storage.

    Reply
  152. Weston

    Hi from West Palm Beach.

    Reply
  153. Garrett

    Hi from Illinois!!! cant wait for tobias!

    Reply
  154. Abigail

    HI everyone i want to say thank you accellus for science live it helps me learn so much and get smarter every day i am so happy for it thank you hope everyone has a great week and happy holidays everyone

    Reply
  155. Tucker

    Hello from Mississippi! On a cassette tape? That’s crazy!

    Reply
  156. Evan

    Evan Gregory is here! Hello from Virginia! I would love to learn more about this DNA storage. Technology is so amazing!! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  157. Harlan

    Dna for storage is so cool

    Reply
  158. Jonathan

    Is there any way to duplicate something similar to DNA into computing storage systems to increase their storage size?

    Reply
  159. Naylynn

    It is so fascinating how people think of this stuff. I never would have thought of DNA and computer storage related to each other.

    Reply
  160. Verarose

    Wow, bringing back the cassette tape! My parents have some of those in the basement, haha

    Reply
  161. Payge

    hi from payge wise va

    Reply
  162. Connor

    Able to use your DNA for storage is crazy. We start doing that.

    Reply
  163. Gabriella

    How do we use dna as storage?

    Reply
  164. Matthew

    Good evening from SC!

    Reply
  165. Nolan

    hello acellus

    Reply
  166. Ahmed

    How do they store the DNA in the strip

    Reply
  167. Rylee

    Hello from tennessee

    Reply
  168. Makenzie

    Hello I am from Alabama

    Reply
  169. William

    Hi im William im from maryland

    Reply
  170. Alaina

    I love science it is the best.

    Reply
  171. Sidney

    Cool

    Reply
  172. Faythe

    hello from Michigan!

    Reply
  173. Aletheia

    Hi from planet pajet

    Reply
  174. Kaneez

    who created the word terabyte?

    Reply
  175. Kamryn

    Comment – Hello from Big island Hawaii

    Reply

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