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 »
R 51 is hilarious
The Edison effect is cool.
Thomas Edison’s inventions are all so interesting!
What made you want to be a scientist???
This lesson was interesting is cool how things have changed.
Hooray, Science Live is here!!!!
oh chemistry oh chemistry
I’m really excited to take the new ASL course.
Its so fascinating how people struggled to make all these inventions work perfectly. Those of us who use it have it pretty easy.
I love learning new things
The Edison effect is when the filament in the light gets too hot and stains the glass on only one side. Can you make it at home?
It is very interesting that someone can do something that impacts others so much for others to want to create new things as well.
Wow, Edison discovered so much, I hope I can be like that one day!
Edison is my dads favorite history person
Thomas Edison was the founder of a lot of things I didn’t know!
Super cool live science video.
I love videos keep up the Science madness!
I loved getting to learn about how the phone has evolved over time.
Dr. Billings is always so funny! I loved this one!
i love learning about this. so fun!
Thank you, Thomas Edison, for giving me this amazing technology!!!
Wow I didn’t know that Thomas Edison invented all these cool thing!!!
I have learned a lot from this video
Learning about the smartphone was so fun.
Learned about this is 7th grade glad to see it again to be reminded what a great guy he was.
So many cool things!
I love learning about the Edison effect!
This episode was super interesting!
Science, live is amazing. I love it so much.
Really interesting and cool episode.
Wow Edison was so smart! What a great live!
Poor r51 Thomas Edison doesn’t remember him. 🥺😭
Thomas Edison is a talented guy.
I didn’t know that Thomas Edison made all thoes inventions that is so awesome!!
this was such a good live! Thomas Edison was so smart!
so when is the next episode this is my new favorite show.
Edison is smart
My mom had the silver Nokia that was in the picture. Great history on how the keyboard of the iPhone was developed. Interesting facts about The Edison Effect.
I didn’t know Thomas Edison had the brilliant mind to invent so many things.
Wow, Edison did so much
I Thomas Edison so glad I could Learn more about him!
The Edison effect is really cool!
It’s crazy how Thomas Edison is known for the light bulb, but in reality thats not his biggest accomplishment, and there are also 3 other founders of the invention of the light bulb.
I didn’t know Thomas Edison invented all of those things.
The more I know the better!
Edison was a smart and creative man well ahead of his time.
Thomas Edison was so cool 😎
Edison is a very cool scientist what do you like about him?
The Edison Effect is pretty cool to learn about!
How did you know for sure that you wanted to be a scientist?
How did you pick yourself back up?
Did you ever have doubt?
You inspire me everyday and you help me better understand science.
Thank you Dr.Billings
First light bulb then jets then hydrogen
These lives are interesting
I love Thomas Edison.
This was the best one ever
The Edison effect sounds so interesting!
Thomas Edison is so cool
i wish you talk more about how they make self phones
Learning all of this makes me realize how much we depend on science.
I wish I could invent stuff.
R 51 is so funny.
I really liked to learn about Eddison
This is so great! So many facts about Thomas Edison I’ve never heard before!
This was sooo interesting!
Loved this episode.Thank you science live!
oh chemistry oh chemistry. great video. great inventors. How do you get the supplies like, batteries, and stuff to build a circut?
😎 coool
What else did Edison notice?
I was really invested in this lesson. I always love getting know more about these inventions!
The world has evolved so much because of Thomas Edison! Amazing episode
Science live rocks!!!
I wouldn’t know what to do without Edison and his inventions! Super fun!
Thomas Edison did invented some really cool things.
This episode is very interesting!!
I love r.51
Thomas Edison was a mentor of Bill Lear
This was a great video, the carbon nano tubes are cool too!
Science is truly amazing!
I watched the Edison effect.
Awesome to watch!
This lesson was amazing I learnt about how Edison paved the way for modern electronics.
I live in NJ and have visited the Thomas Edison museum! Thank you for teaching us all about science!
Thomas Edison made so many things, wonder if he had any he never made or released