The Edison Effect
December 17, 2025 • EPISODE 291
What if Thomas Edison’s greatest discovery wasn’t the light bulb? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings explores the Edison Effect and how Edison’s experiments paved the way for electron tubes and modern electronics. Discover why this overlooked breakthrough mattered then—and why it still shapes technology today.
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 love Science live soo much!
Thomas Edison really is a genius!
we love science live!! Happy Holidays 🙂
Science live is the best!!!!!
I want to be like Edison some day
R51 is funny
Happy Holidays and thank you
I love Science live its so cool I learn something new every Wednesday
Learning about the phones was really cool. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
I look forward to the lives each week! Science is my favorite subject!
Science live is awesome. I enjoyed this weeks episode.
Im excited for the asl classes because I always wanted to learn it and I always loved seeing how phone improved over the years.
love R-51
happy holidays everyone!
Love this week’s science live! I’m excited to learn about the sign language course!!!
Over 1 million volts is mind blowing to me.
I believe in you R-51!
Wow. Edison really was such a genius.
Happy Holidays, interested in the sign language course.
I really liked learning about the iPhone and seeing how old phones looked and worked!
Science live is amazing!!!
My mom was watching this with me and she said she recognized the cell phone. It was a lot different then they are now.
YESSS!!!!!! I’ve absolutely loved doing ASL, so I’m so excited there’s a second course! It’s an awesome chance to keep learning and growing. Thank you so much, Science Live, for making ASL so fun and accessible. Happy holidays to everyone, and lots of love to the whole Science Live team! 💛
I did a report on Thomas Edison once. I learned he was 12 when he set up his chemistry lab in the cargo part of a train. He sold newspapers and penny candy to get money for his supplies for more experiments.
Yes, We love R-51! Happy Holidays everyone!
Hi, I am so glad I got Acellus and am able to watch science live! I think it is all very cool and fun, thank you so much for making it possible for me to watch this.
Dr Roger is always so smart with these
I’m excited for the new ASL class!! I’m currently doing the first one now.
Science lives are amazingggg
Happy Holidays! the science lives are the best!
I love Ms. Donnie’s ASL class
It’s crazy how one person can make a big change in everyone’s lives. It’s so interesting to learn about the lectures on how science affects peoples lives, especially our own. It also shows how science is an our every day life. Very interesting episode this week.
Thomas Edison had so many inventions, its sad that the people that had the idea sometimes are not known.
I’m curious to learn all the small ways Thomas Edison’s invention changed the world in the 1800s. There’s a lot of things we take for granted that we wouldn’t have without the lightbulb.
I can’t wait to see the next video! Happy New Year everyone!!!!!
Science live is the best!
I’ve been learning some ASL so a new class will be so fun!
Dr Billing is really cool. I wonder how he created Acellus in the first place?
I love R-51. In Tx
The science live was so interesting today! Happy Holidays!
I would be happy to watch these everyday.
Thomas Edison had so many cool inventions.
Can’t wait the the new ASL class!! Amazing as always!
Science has always interested me and it was cool to learn how the I Phone was invented. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Tuning in from Montana
love science live and R-51
Thomas Edison was a brilliant man.
This was a cool Science Live!
Hello from Wisconsin! Sorry for being late!
Thank you Dr.Billings, happy holidays.
Science lives are my favorite!!
Merry Christmas Acellus Academy Family!
Dr. Rogers makes my week.
I always love R51.
Happy holidays!
I can’t wait to see the new sign language course!!
i like how Dr. Roger Billings breaks down the process of inventing showing how curiosity, creativity, and simple problem-solving can grow into real innovations.
Happy holidays!
More r 51 please
Awesome video loved it! Happy holidays. 🙂 from Georgia
(Comment) My NANA has the very first iPhone, and it still works! I use it a lot! For music, games, and photos! My favorite teacher in science live is Tobias! He’s so FUNNY!! I also love little R-51 too! Also, I am in ASL right now, and I hope to be able to do the 2nd part of it!
Today was AMAZING, loved every second!
Great live as always! Happy holidays :]
I love watching my weekly science live video its the best part of my week!
Happy holidays and Merry *early* Christmas to all of you at Acellus! I hope you all have a wonderful time off with your families.
Edison being a mentor is cool
I found it funny that the holiday song for chemists is “Oh Chemistry! Oh Chemistry!”. Have a happy holiday season.
Thomas Edison was so cool! It really made history with his inventions
I love these lives! Happy holidays everyone!
What inspired Thomas Edison to create things?
Thank you Dr. Billings! I love learning new things! Happy holidays everyone!
I am very excited about the new ASL course that is going to be offered.
The scientists are brilliant. I like watching science live.
Merry Christmas Roger Billings!
Happy Holidays!
Thank You Dr. Roger Billings. This was very informative. Happy Holidays =)
I am so excited to take the new course on sign language! Also Thomas Edison is cool! Merry Christmas to everyone!
I liked watching this science live. Thank you Dr. Rogers. Happy Holidays =)
Science live is awesome!!
Thomas Edison was amazing he taught us to keep trying even if we fail.
When does the American Sign Language class come out and what grades will it be available to?
Happy Holidays to everyone!
Thomas Edison is one of my favorite. I love watching this episode.
That’s cool that the metal shavings don’t conduct electricity until radio waves hit it.
Science live is the best!!!!!
This weeks Science Live has been the best that I have seen so far. Thomas Edison has always been one of my favorite inventors to study and I am looking forward to more lessons that include him.
I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!
I’m really excited for the next episode!
yesss happy holidays!!!
I didn’t realize how many volts of electricity went through powerlines.
Hi from Montana!
R 51 is so hilarious 😂!!!!!!!
R 51 is so funny and probably my favorite part
I am so incredibly excited for the new asl class!
Why did I think Edison invented the lightbulb?! We learn such cool things every week. I love R-51. Merry Christmas everyone.
Always very interesting science hour
This is amazing!! Science Wendnesday lives make my day.
So interesting. I often watch twice
dude I love watching these so much because there so fun to watch and listen to, so many facts I love it.
Loved how funny everyone is and happy holidays!!!
Sign language!!? That is so exciting! I want to learn sign language.
Thanks so much for this live! I love them!
we love R-51!
The space telescope was very interesting to learn about.
The future of medicine is definitely exciting!
I enjoyed watching this live this week. Thank you, happy holidays.
Happy Holidays!!
Love watching Science Live and R-51
I didn’t know phones back in the day were that small. They looked very weird.
Science is the best subject
Can’t wait for the holidays :>
I am exited about the new sign language class that has came out thank you Dr. Roger Billings for teachings us again.
See you Next Year!!! Can’t wait…
LIVE LAUGH LOVE SIENCE LIVE!!!!!!!
A very interesting episode. Learning how the iPhone was created was interesting, and as usual, the R-51 segment was a hoot. “Well isn’t that RUDE? I don’t know WHY he’s BEHAVING like this!” after he made up that crazy story about how he was mentored by Thomas Edison himself, and then spun a whole yarn about how they argued over whether Edison should invent the lightbulb or the vacuum tube! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I love this!!
I love science live!!
Can’t wait to watch this live!
Can’t wait finish the first course and start the second one for ASL, and speaking of Thomas Edison did you know that he was deaf . I know when I first learned it I thought it was crazy 😳🫨😮😲😄👌🏻👍🏼
I can’t wait to do the sign language class!
I love the story about Tomes Edison and the light bulb/vacuum tube. And everything is so amazing I am sooooooooooooooo excited for ASL!!!!!!!
Absolutely loved this week’s video!!
I thought it was really cool how cell phone touch screens came to be and the trials people went through to make it.
Science live is the best!!!!!
Happy holidays everyone!! Love you science live!!
i always have fun watching science live.
Technology is such a great thing!
Hello from Maryland!!
Thank you Science live crew for a good year of videos, happy holidays.
I love his voice and i love acellus
Have a Happy Holiday!
does the sun count as a star 🌟 ☀️
The chemistry song joke was so funny! Lol.
R-51 is so awesome! I’m also so excited for ASL!
I love sign language
Wow they should have Science live on Youtube or something! This thing is the best! 👍👍👍 Happy holidays everyone! n_n
Crazy how if you go far enough, everyone is connected
Thomas Edison was very influential to science
The history of the iPhone is so fascinating. Apple family all the way here. I also loved learning that Dr. Billings was mentored by someone who was mentored by Thomas Edison!
I always like seeing R-51. I liked how he talked to Thomas Edison.
Thank you for Dr Roger Billings, Pajet and Acellus team to make learning possible and merry Christmas
I enjoy attending science live so much! Thank you Dr B!
I love learning something new every video.
R-51 rules! Happy Holidays!
I absolutely love science live!!!!!
How long did it take Steve Jobs and the Apple team to execute code purple and start putting out the I-Phone to the public? And when was the QWERTY style keyboard created?
Glad R51 is feeling better!
Thanks! Happy holidays!
When is the new course on conspiracy theories coming out?
I like Thomas Edison!
Hey this is Jayne from TX and I can not wait for this new ASL class
I learn a lot from Science Live!!
i love using acellus
I loved learning about the phone, and Happy Holidays to everyone!
i love science so much and these lives!
There’s a lot more to texting than I thought.
Happy holidays to everyone
We are LOVING the ASL course <3
A lot of times when I can’t figure something out it means I need to learn something. Is this the same with inventing?
i loved this weeks science live!
I love SCIENCE LIVE!!!!!!
I love these there so entertaning
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE I LOVE YOU ROGER BILLINGS AND PAJET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love what you guy are doing to make the world a safer and better place.
What Tobias talked about was awesome. Remembering breakthroughs like the iPhone, bro, now everybody an Apple family
Tell r51 i said hi
i am so happy that we are getting a new course
you are so cool Roger billings
Thank you so much for the new ASL !!!
Happy Holidays!!!
Hello from Pennsylvania!!
It’s quite fascinating phones used to look like. In modern time now, we have all touch screens. But back then, into the 2000’s, they had actually 3d buttons instead on buttons on a screen.
I feel sorry for r51’s electric shock and am happy to hear that he is all better.
science live is the best!!!
I love watching your show
This episode gave me an idea for invention! 😀
I agree that the best way to invent is to learn from other inventors