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 »
Merry Christmas, everybody have a good holiday!!
We love the ASL class so we can’t wait!
Who else loves this show!
Happy Holidays everybody!
Edison really did reshape the future of technology and push forward to a new era!
Hi from Illinois! Another great Science Live:) I’m very excited to learn about the sign language class options. Hope everyone has a happy holiday!
R-51 is so funny!
I love watching science live!!
The new asl course is going to be an amazing opportunity!
I would like more r-51 please
Thomas Edison is a very interesting man, happy holidays from south dakota!
I love Science so much happy holidays!
r51 is so funny!
Can’t wait for the new videos in 2026!
the nebula is cool wow!
Edison was one of the best science minds ever
This week’s Science Live was intriguing! So, I guess see you next year.
What grade do you have to be in to start taking American Sign Language?
R51 is sooooo funny 🤣
Hello from Pulaski Tennessee!
I loved learning about Thomas Edison and i wonder who his mentor was.
I’ve always been fascinated by space! I’m excited to see what comes from NASA’s new telescope!
Thomas Edison made a great impact!!
You’re the best Dr. Roger Billings!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!! I look forward to watching more Science Live in the new year!!
I’ve always thought Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.
I love r51 happy holidays
The ASL class will be fun!!!
Always look forward to Science Live.
I like Acellus
I love these videos, cannot wait for the ASL class.
I love school! 🏫
Merry Christmas and happy New Years to all of Acellus staff and students! Have a awesome Christmas!
I like R51 cause he is funny.
Wow I didn’t know that about phones
We will always love R-51!
Happy holidays you guys!!!!
Perserveranced is key
How did he learn all of the things he knew so he could then go on and become a genius
Happy Holidays!!
This episode was a great way to end this year’s Science Live! Happy holidays!
Science lives are my favorite part of the week!
merry christmas and happy new year this was probably my favorite video yet!
I love the weekly science live. Thank you
Thank you Acellus!
I love the inclusivity for sign language.
I like the invention of the Apple phone because if you look at the phones then, you can see a huge improvement
I love learning new things every week
I like r- 51!! Happy holidays everyone
I love Acellus Live. I learn so much.
I love how it took a bunch of great minds to come up with the iphone
Im saving up my points to get an Acellus hoodie!
Another great episode of Science Live!
where can I get the book?
Who or what inspired Thomas Edison?
Thanks for making these every week! They are really informative.
How is the new NASA telescope able to take pictures of such a wide area?
There should be a showing for the new telescope where the people can watch it launch.
Dr. Billings, it’s amazing how inventions that supposedly had no promise ended up being something we use a lot today.
i love r-51! cant wait for christmas and wish you a happy new year!
The solution for the iPhone keyboard was very interesting, I never would’ve come up with making the boxes bigger based on what it thinks you’re typing.
Dr. Tobias, why did they name it Project Purple? Was the name symbolic in any way?
I was just asking my mom who invented the light bulb!
Dr. John, with the new telescope, will they be able to see heat and measure temperatures on other planets?
Thomas Edison was one smart guy!
science live is the greatest
I am wondering how people invented the floppy disk!
I really thought Edison invented the light bulb.
Dr. Billings, R51…if anything, you were mentored by Dr. Billings!
Dr. Tobias, who did Steve do the demo for? Was it the public or other business people?
Dr. John, will scientists be able to tell water from land on the exoplanets with the new telescope?
The new telescope’s new resolution is going to be able to capture more things to study.
Amazing Science Live, happy holidays!
I love r. 51!
Thanks for doing Science Live. I always learn something.
I like learning I think my favrit science live is the relay I love you DR Rogger billings
It was fun watching you!
It was super cool how NASA is building brand new telescope and they will launch it late 2026 or early 2027.
I wonder how many stars are in the Nebula
I love this video! 😍
we all love r-51
Thanks for the Science Live!
I learn so much every time I watch these
I loved the discussion about the development of the cell phone keyboards.
I learned a lot about Edison and his inventions.
This science live was cool! Happy holidays!
I want a wilderness survial class please
We love R-51. We learn and have fun with him.
HAPPY HOLIDZAYS MRS,PAJET AND MR,BILLING AND r-51 😉
I love R51! Merry Christmas everyone!
I am glad R-51 is ok.
how long did it take NASA to assemble the telescope?
That space telescope is neat. It must be real expensive
I love science and it’s fun to listen to dr. roger billings.
break through momments in science are my favourite
R-51 is funny, he cannot know Eddison.
Happy Holidays everyone!
I love acellus!!!!!! so excited for the ASL class!
ASL is my personal favorite class, I’m happy we’re getting another one.
Hello from Tennessee I love learning more about science in the science live! Thank you so much for doing them!
The engineering process for the original iPhone is really interesting!
I would love it if you would do a Science Live on Nicola Tesla’s inventions!
The Edison effect is cool! I love how he solved the problem.
I love these science Lives. Thank you Acellus.
Loved learning about Thomas Edison’s backstory, happy holidays! By the way tell R-51 i said hi!
Steve Jobs made one of the best inventions.
Happy holidays to everyone!!!!!
I love r-51! Hope y’all have a wonderful Christmas.
Science Live is so cool!!!!!
The space telescope is pretty cool, it’s awesome how technology has evolved, in the sense of what we can see in the sky at night. Also, congrats on the new ASL class.
Science is the most astonishing thing to man kind
I’m excited for the new space telescope!
We all love R-51.
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE IT’S THE BEST 😀
I love science live, and happy holidays!!!!!!!!
Phones have come a long way.
Happy Holidays everyone! have an amazing day!
I never realized that Thomas Edison did not invent the lightbulb but instead he was the first to make a practical one.
Cell phones looked weird . I’m glad the engineer figured out the keyboard and we have iPhones and iPads now.
Thomas Edison was a smart man…..Science live gives u a lot of information.
When did he mentor you? r 51, happy holidays and tell him he is my favorite robot.
I knew Edison was influentual but wow.
when did Roger billings create accelus and when was rogers mentor mentored by Thomas edison
I enjoyed learning more about Thomas Edison!
I can’t wait to try out the new ASL class!
I love watching science live!
I can’t wait to start learning ASL!
I have read the story about Edison and really admire his resilience and creativity.
I always like “Science breakthroughs” from Mr. Tobias he’s really funny.
this episode was great! loved learning about the Edison effect, wishing all a happy holiday! 🙂
Thomas Edison was an amazing inventor!!
i love r 51 merry xmas everyone
who taught Dr billings all of his knowledge
The chemistry joke was funny. I learned that Thomas Edison didn’t create the lightbulb but he was apparently the first to make one that was practical and affordable.
I really enjoyed this video! Science live is the best!!
Really enjoyed this breakdown of the Edison Effect it’s fascinating to see how Edison’s observation of electron emission from a heated filament laid the groundwork for vacuum tubes and modern electronics. It’s a great reminder that even small, curious experiments can lead to huge technological leaps
Hi i love acellus and science live im 8 you are so pretty pajet monet
I like that Christmas song “O Chemistry, O Chemistry. Oh how I adore thee. Lol
Edison is the most impressive inventor ever.
I can’t wait for the new ASL class. Also, we all love r-51♥️ can you give us some spoilers of the new Acellus, pretty, please, please please please please please pretty please pretty please please please please please please please please please pretty please pretty pretty please pretty please please please pretty please. Are they gonna be new classes or the system is gonna be new I know about the science live credit you get from watching it, but what else is gonna be new? By the way, are you gonna teach any classes or do you already teach a few classes or do you just go around being the boss of Acellus?🤨 I’m super excited for everything and it was Thomas Edison’s mentor and mentor or Thomas Edison who is his mentor.
And what year did we start doing technology like what year did human start evolution smarter creatures. By the way, merry Christmas to all of you, students teachers, and all those people Acellus possible. Merry Christmas, your biggest fan.
Thank you, Acellus!
Thank you for this science live today. It was well-structured and easy to follow
R-51! you are so silly!!
See u guys (r-51) in 2026!
Can Lady Pajet become R51’s mentor?
I love watching these every week
I liked how Dr. John was talking about space and planets. I also found how Dr.John was talking about NASA and how they got a new telescope and how they going to use it!!! It’s so cool to learn new things from science live!!!
The camel that broke the straws back! Hahaha! Thanks for the laugh! Happy holidays!
Thomas Edison has done so many interesting things.
I really enjoyed learning about the development of the iphone keyboard and the Edison effect. And the new space telescope too. Looking forward to next year- Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas R 51!
Area-51 is always so funny!
Happy Holidays, and have a good new years!
Happy holiday R-51 and lady pajet and Dr roger billings!
Science live is so cool!
We are VERY very excited about the ASL course coming!
From Georgia, Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The joke at the start of this episode of Science Live, the one about the chemist’s favorite Christmas song made me laugh! Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Always happy to see these lives!
I like science live!!!!!!!!!
Science live is the best part about school on Wednesday!
Hi from Missouri this week. I enjoy learning about technology. Thank you Dr Billings. Merry Christmas everyone.
Thank you Dr Roger! have a nice weekend
I love Science Live!!
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE. ITS VERY INFORMATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL!
THANKS DR ROGER BILLINGS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL
I loved learning more about the Edison Effect, and how it changed our world, and I am super excited to begin with my Gr. 12 studies for the year. Thank you Dr. Billings and Team Acellus for being so awesome to all us students around the world.
R-51 is so cool
I like Dr. Roger
Thomas Edison is so cool!!!
I learned that NASA finished building a new telescope with higher resolution. That is so cool that an I Phone engineer created a phone where it adjusted to what you were typing. It is also cool that Bill Lear which was mentored by Thomas Edison mentored Dr. Roger Billings.
very educational, great episode as always.
Science live is the best
I learned about the Edison Effect. I love science lives! Happy holidays!
This is Awesome! ASL is a great to course addition.
ASL has been sonething that i’ve always wanted to learn. This is an amazing opportunity!!! happy holidays everyone.