The Edison Effect

December 17, 2025Β  β€’Β  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 thenβ€”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 β€œDrB” 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 β€œgive back” by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.


Read more about DrB » 
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program Β»

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2,490 Comments

  1. Genevieve

    Hey Y’all!! Hello from AL

    Reply
  2. Jhett

    I love all the science lives!

    Reply
  3. Elena

    Hi Dr. Billings!!

    Reply
  4. Madison

    Very interesting episode, Looking forward to the next.

    Reply
  5. Catherine

    Nice

    Reply
  6. Axl

    Hello from Montana

    Reply
  7. Kesli

    How does heating and cooling elements work? I didn’t know that Thomas Edison created the vacuum! That was so cool!

    Reply
    • Eric

      Learning about Thomas Edison is such an interesting thing to do, I learn something new every time!

      Reply
  8. Abigail

    This is my first live Science L!VE! I am so happy to be here!

    Reply
  9. Saydah

    This is amazing

    Reply
  10. Jaxon

    I wonder how long it took NASA to build the new telescope

    Reply
  11. Isaiah

    How do the keys on the iPhone resize?

    Reply
  12. Clark

    I would have thought he would of made money!

    Reply
    • Jayden

      Science Live for a credit would be a great help towards graduation. I’m only a freshman. Thanks so much Dr. Billing.

      Reply
  13. Alijah

    cant wait for next live!

    Reply
  14. Gabriella

    My parents had some of those old phones!

    Reply
  15. Ashley

    Woah I never knew Dr. Roger Billings mentors mentor was Thomas Edisson! Thats super cool!!!

    Reply
  16. Madelin

    So Dr Billings has a connection to Thomas Edison

    Reply
  17. Jayden

    It was very interesting to learn about the evolution of the Iphone and knowing that I am not as good as typing that I thought I was. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  18. Brady

    I thought the part about how the iPhone keyboard and stuff works was really cool

    Reply
  19. Raphael

    Hello from America

    Reply
  20. Lily-ann

    wish I was as smart as you<3

    Reply
  21. Jordaan

    I love science

    Reply
  22. Cole

    I really enjoyed this video πŸ‘

    Reply
  23. Taelyn

    HI

    Reply
  24. Carson

    Mr. Billings is so cool i wanna be an inventor like him!

    Reply
  25. Enzo

    i love science

    Reply
  26. Evah

    lit as always πŸ—£πŸ”₯

    Reply
  27. Taylor

    Hi from Montana!

    Reply
  28. Zoe

    Merry Christmas from texas !!

    Reply
  29. Avonlee

    Hello everyone, I am from California! Very cool info every single week. Thank you all! πŸ˜€

    Reply
  30. Isabella

    I love science live!

    Reply
  31. Lovena

    Wow, I didn’t know that phones were so hard to make!

    Reply
  32. Madelyn

    How long ago was the vacuum invented?

    Reply
  33. Ava

    Thank You Tobias, that was very interesting about the iphone, I think my mom had a phone with a slide out keyboard.

    Reply
  34. Allan

    i love science

    Reply
  35. Adilae

    Hi from AL.

    Reply
  36. Collier

    love it

    Reply
  37. Allyshea

    i found that Steve Jobs i phone design very facinating you learn something new everday.

    Reply
  38. Ashlyn

    I love Tobias’s facts!

    Reply
  39. Aria

    That’s very interesting about NASA.

    Reply
  40. Matthew

    yeah science is pretty neat

    Reply
  41. An

    How the i-phone was made is so amazing.

    Reply
  42. Keren-hapuc

    I am pretty sure no one knew to create keyboards was so difficult. Love apple

    Reply
  43. Avyanna

    Would the radio waves work in space?

    Reply
  44. Marley

    My name is Marley Parrish and I am from Illinois. Thank you for letting us know that the next show will be at the start of the year. I really enjoyed learning about the breakthroughs that it took for the people of Apple to develop the keyboard. I have never heard of this before, and I was fascinating with how the keys sensitivity changes with anticipating the next word. Thank you again and Merry Christmas.

    Reply
  45. Esdee

    Esdee L watching from Nevada!

    Reply
  46. Neriah

    I love science

    Reply
  47. Konnor

    I love this science live today and are excited to next week’s.

    Reply
    • Samantha

      Hi I’m samantha I’m from ct, Connecticut.

      Reply
  48. Mira

    Looks like Tobias is ready for Christmas with his green hirt and red and white tie!! πŸ˜€

    Reply
  49. Mary

    ’Hello from New Jersey I never knew keyboards were so complicated?!

    Reply
  50. Jackson

    ASL is very interesting to me, i think i will take that class.

    Reply
  51. Nevaeh

    Hello from TN..

    Reply
  52. Jacob

    Thank you Tobias, I appreciate your segment!

    Reply
  53. Rileigh

    The first iPhone is so tiny.

    Reply
  54. Jonah

    this is so cool

    Reply
  55. Jozette

    Hello from California!

    Reply
  56. James

    cool about the touch zone changing size.

    Reply
  57. Eva

    How crazy was it that one change fixed the whole problem!

    Reply
  58. Elijah

    That is so interesting!

    Reply
  59. Vincent

    Touch screen technology is so fascinating on how it all operates together!

    Reply
  60. Maia

    My mom told me about texting when she had to touch a number key 3 times to get 1 letter lol

    Reply
  61. Briggs

    It is cool that the key sizes Change when you press them

    Reply
  62. Klara

    wow technology is improving fast

    Reply
  63. Otto

    That’s cool how they made the first iPhone

    Reply
  64. Raylan

    How Is ur day going

    Reply
  65. Raiya

    LOVE ACELLUS

    Reply
  66. Lyla

    hi I.m watching

    Reply
  67. Jessalyn

    Hello from TEXAS!!!

    Reply
  68. Lilliana

    the phone touch keyboard info was interesting

    Reply
  69. Benjamin

    Hi from Florida!

    Reply
  70. Karolina

    I never knew that!

    Reply
  71. Madison

    For phones now a days where does your data go?

    Reply
  72. Ahmed

    What do you believe the future of phones will be?

    Reply
  73. Lauren

    hi guys

    Reply
  74. Mia

    I found my mom’s old phone and it was tiny. She said it was her first cell phone. Nothing like what she uses now.

    Reply
  75. Lilly

    Hello!

    Reply
  76. Emery

    Wow I never knew the keyboard keys adjusted themselves on the iPhone, that’s very smart.

    Reply
  77. Haddon

    Here!

    Reply
  78. Johnathan

    i love old phones❀️❀️❀️❀️ but i really love flip phones☎️⌚️πŸ–₯οΈπŸ’»πŸ“žπŸ–₯οΈπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ

    Reply
  79. Gunnar

    Wow that’s so cool.

    Reply
  80. Jedidiah

    iphones are cool.

    Reply
  81. Kevin

    Love it so far it is always fun to watch and enjoy.

    Reply
  82. Jayla

    Is this ai model still used in iphones today?

    Reply
  83. Robert

    How does the touch screen on the iphone work?

    Reply
  84. Daniel

    I can’t wait to see all the footage from the new NASA telescope!

    Reply
  85. Addison

    Hi from Texas!

    Reply
  86. Eden

    that’s cool

    Reply
  87. Matthew

    here from california

    Reply
  88. Isabell

    im watching from west palm beach

    Reply
  89. Andres

    I love phones!

    Reply
  90. Jadon

    Good evening from NC!

    Reply
  91. Anaiah

    hi from hawaii!!!

    Reply
  92. James

    Great as always.

    Reply
  93. Sophia

    Sophia in NC πŸ“±

    Reply
  94. Harleen

    hrleen from Vegas

    πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ₯³πŸ€©

    Reply
  95. Jacob

    Hi from Colorado! May you all have Happy Holidays!

    Reply
  96. Rileigh

    Hello from txxx

    Reply
  97. Suha

    The entire keyboard evolution is seriously so interesting woah

    Reply
  98. Pamela

    Hi from Georgia.

    Reply
  99. Judah

    Wow! I didn’t realize that the keyboards we use on our phones were that deep! That’s a neat thing to learn!

    Reply
  100. Alaysia

    So cool! I live in Japan I loveeee live <3

    Reply
  101. Deepak

    Hello from texas

    Reply
  102. Isabella

    Hi from TN

    Reply
  103. Madison

    Happy Wednesday, literally had no clue a story about a keyboard could be so interesting. I love it

    Reply
  104. Rileigh

    Coolll

    Reply
  105. Emmalin

    i found the part where they were wanting to create touch screen phones finger friendly quite interesting

    Reply
  106. Riley

    hey

    Reply
  107. Valeria

    Those phones older than my cat happy XD

    Reply
  108. Avery

    Is that where autocorrect came from?

    Reply
  109. Ophira

    I LOVE SIENCE LIVE!!

    Reply
  110. Khia

    The making of the touch screen is really cool.

    Reply
  111. Noel

    hi i’m noel from MO

    Reply
  112. Haylen

    hey

    Reply
  113. Atlas

    I love technology!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  114. Dillon

    I like it and love it!

    Reply
  115. Carson

    hello from georgia

    Reply
  116. Jaxon

    its really cool that NASA is making a new telescope

    Reply
  117. Aadil

    I love
    this not going to lie

    Reply
  118. Lillian

    Hearing about NASA and the telescope was so cool!

    Reply
  119. Lyndon

    i love this

    Reply
  120. Roberto

    Good evening! Hello from Brazil! Taking this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  121. Cody

    cool

    Reply
  122. Raiya

    Hello from WV! Love Acellus, Science Live, Dr. Roger Billings and Pajet, and R-51.

    Reply
  123. Logan

    Hello from Lincoln, Illinois!

    Reply
  124. Von

    I always love science live, you always learn something new.

    Reply
  125. Jacob

    Hello from Indiana

    Reply
  126. Victorio

    cant wait to see whats on the next one!

    Reply
  127. Conner

    hi from txxx

    Reply
  128. Kyrtianna

    here

    Reply
  129. Javier

    hi javier from lansing kansas

    Reply
  130. Zayden

    I like it and love it

    Reply
  131. Emilianna

    Hi from texasssss <3

    Reply
  132. Stetson

    I found one of my moms old phones and it was so cool!

    Reply
  133. Mir

    Did the material on the touchscreen matter whether a stylus or a finger was being used? From VA.

    Reply
  134. Ella

    The development of the touch screen phone is fascinating.

    Reply
  135. Mason

    What iPhone has the best graphical flow and who in the team had the idea that made it?

    Reply
  136. Jayce

    why did they decide to put the letters on the keyboard in the spots they are?

    Reply
  137. Josiah

    Josiah is here

    Reply
  138. Christopher

    Hello πŸ‘‹:)

    Reply
  139. Leah

    Amazing live

    Reply
  140. Ainhara

    I love home shcool

    Reply
  141. Linkin

    i love this already

    Reply
  142. Wyatt

    Ayo from Idaho!

    Reply
  143. Arielle

    Hi folks from Greensboro

    Reply
  144. Aaron

    hashhahaha why is he so funnny πŸ˜‚

    Reply
  145. Taylor

    How did they make digital letters and numbers?

    Reply
  146. Aiden

    Hi from Florida

    Reply
    • Abbie

      What’s R51 doing??!!!πŸ€“πŸ‘©β€πŸ”¬πŸ‘¨πŸΌβ€πŸ”¬πŸ•΄πŸ•΄πŸ•΄πŸ‹πŸ‹

      Reply
  147. Alison

    I use a stylist on tablets sometimes but it’s cool to know stylist were invented before using your fingers, I thought stylists were invented after they figured out that they were able to use their fingers

    Reply
  148. Roman

    this school is good!

    Reply
  149. Jacob

    Very exciting topic Tobias!

    Reply
  150. Carl

    Is the flip phone part of the group of phones before the I phone?

    Reply
  151. Braedyn

    hi

    Reply
  152. Zachary

    hello from maryland

    Reply
  153. Julena

    hello

    Reply
  154. Paxton

    My favorite subject is science

    Reply
  155. Thiranai

    HI πŸ˜€

    Reply
  156. Colten

    that makes sense

    Reply
  157. Mason

    I love science!

    Reply
  158. Dagmar

    Wow ! Using a special telescope to find another planet with life on it is awesome!

    Reply
  159. Aubrey

    Hello from SC! Old phones are so interesting, they way people had to think of this is crazy and awesome to me. Humans have come very far when you look at old and new phones.

    Reply
  160. Tran

    Merry Christmas for everyone learn and teach in Acellus!

    Reply
  161. John

    Hello from Mexico

    Reply
  162. Travis

    hello

    Reply
  163. Elina

    cool

    Reply
  164. Priya

    evolution of phones are cool

    Reply
  165. Maylin

    that was so cool to know about the old phones!

    Reply
  166. Jaime

    I love science

    Reply
  167. Westin

    Looking foward to next weeks live!

    Reply
  168. Grayson

    Who invented the touch screen tablet?

    Reply
  169. Nathan

    hey y’all

    Reply
  170. Troy

    What if they had been replaced with a different team, what would change?

    Reply
  171. Mohammad

    Wow this is so cool the phones look so cool and bring memories!

    Reply
  172. James

    I love ASL! It’s my favorite class.

    Reply
  173. Andres

    Apple is the best!!!

    Reply
  174. Tristen

    I love the new telescope

    Reply
  175. A

    Hello from Illinois!!

    Reply

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