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 »
Hi from Cleveland!
I just learned about telescopes and plants in my 2nd grade Science class. I am excited to see what pictures of space they show us next!
Well do you think it is possible to live on another planet if so how
it’s incredible the technology we’ve achieved in the years
Good Evening Everyone!
merry christmas all of you
I’m loving todays live!
hi from mississippi
What is the telascope called?
Great live. Merry christmas!
The new space telescope is so cool. It is going to contribute to so many things in the future!
I’m excited to see how the telescope can help our environment.
The new telescope NASA is making sounds cool
Merry Christmas!!! Can we watch it being launched ?
hello
Dr. B, could you teach us more about how telescopes work, and how they are built to work the way that they do?
How many megapixels are in a cell phone?
The new space telescope is amazing
Hello From Florida 🙂 Happy Wednesday !!!
There is so much more they will be able to discover. We have to wait.
Hello from georgia
Could space exploration develop to the point where telescopes become a primitive source of data?
Maybe we’ll find out the answer to if we are really alone in the universe.
Hi from tx
Excited to hear about all the planets when they release them all!
Where will you be able to see the astronomy film/movie.
I love science live!
Dr Billing what is your favorite holiday.
Space is so interesting
hi from nebraska
I find it very cool how we can find new exo planets using things like these
Happy holidays to everyone!
Hi from El Paso Texas. Is working at Acellus exciting?
I love fishing and I really want to go fishing with you DR B
I love science live soooooo much🤩
The new class looks exciting!
Hello from Texas !! Merry Christmas’s
Cell phones have changed so much since the early 2000’s, I wonder how they will change 25 years from now.
love science
Hello Merry Christmas!
hi everyone!
Hi from ny merry Christmas and happy holidays
Hello from Florida , Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas
helllo, from hawaii and merry christmas
Acellus is so good and I love dr billings
hi from texas
Hello Dr. John, I realize that plenty of country are equipped with space telescopes but, which country has the most complex space telescope?
Hi from Alabama
What is the exact amount of exoplanets that have been found?
I’m excited for the science live
Hi from tax
Hello! a few mins late
i love science! also merry christmas!
Hi I’m from New Jersey! These science live topics are so cool!!
Hello! My dad told me about the Vasimr space engine that uses radio waves to make movement so we can travel or sending things further, faster. Pretty exciting.
I can’t wait to see the new telescope images!
hi from texas
Hi from Colorado
hi from Alabama
merry Christmas cant wait for live hehe
hello from texas
When will the NASA make the data public is there a date yet?
from texas
how far can a telescope see
MERRY ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!
That telescope is SO cool. Props to who ever designed it!
When did the James Webb first start taking photos?
Sorry I’m late but I’m ready to learn!
HIII
That’s so interesting
merry chirstmas
I LOVEEEE THE LIVE
hi from NJ! that’s a long time
i learned a lot !
merry christmas from nc
Is that NASA’s most advanced telescope?
Hello, What are the dimensions of the telescope?
Hi from Wisconsin!
For a telescope to make a movie based on the real things we see in space is crazy, it would be the perfect proof that there are other planets out there that are somewhat similar to Earth
Hello!! from the Domican Republic, in the caribbeans🏝️
Hi from CA! I am excited for tonights science live. My family and I are watching.
Is the new telescope going to see past the oort cloud?
Hello from Tennessee! Merry Christmas, Acellus!
Hi! Hannah from PA
Science live is fun
Saying hello from Kansas City!
Here from Missouri
Watching from the Caribbean
I like learning about space!
I love looking at the stars. I am lucky I live in the country, where there are no extra lights from the streets or buildings.
Are we going to have Science Live on Christmas week?
From North Catalina Eva
All I went for Christmas is Science Live.🎄🧬
Hi from Nevada, the show is so informative.
hi from Washington
hi from washington!
Hi from Nebraska
After we learn about the far side of the milky way are we going to try to examine other galaxies?
Hi from illinois
Dr Billings are you excited about Xmas.
Hello from Illionis.Is the new sign language class for freshman?
Merry Christmas from Maryland!
Hi from Minnesota! It is amazing how many stars and planets exist!
Hello from Ohio! Happy Holiday’s!
Science is the best.
I always love watching these, they are the highlight of my day!
Hi from Honduras, enjoying the live right now
Very interesting Dr. John.
Hello from Texas!
Hello from Tampa/Florida
I am really enjoying the science live on Wednesday’s. I learn something new every time I watch, its very insightful.
I can’t wait to see all the footage from the new NASA telescope!
I am super excited for ASL 2 I am currently taking the first one and loving it
Hello from Maine.
nebula pictures are always so amazing and mysterious looking to me. Love the colors.
Happy holidays:3
Good Evening from Louisiana!! I’m so glad we have the opportunity to learn ASL here, along with other languages. I’ve always wanted to start.
Hi from Nevada, and Happy Holidays!
How do telescopes magnify the stars?
Hello from Texas! Excited for Science Live Today!
Hello from Michigan!
space is awesome, being able to see more is nice
Could it be possible to capture images of black holes or other large figures in high resolution using the telescope?
Makayla from Rhode Island. I love science lives!
Hello from Ohio!!
Hello from NC, Ready to learn with Science Live!
I want to take american sign language when i’m old enough
I love Science Live!
Hello all my New Englanders! Happy Hannukah! So happy about my first live science L!VE!
Hi from Florida
Ahnaliesa from Springfield oregon
Good evening everyone from Texas!
I’m so excited for the new American Sign Language course added to Acellus!!! I can’t wait to become fluent in ASL!
Greetings from Dubai!
That is a lot of mega pixels.
The ASL course sounds cool!
Happy Holidays!!
what does this new tellascope do can it see more galaxies and other planets
NASA’s new telescope looks like a strange spaceship.
Happy holidays from Nebraska !!
Hello from South Dakota. Happy Holidays.
Hi from California
hi everyone from Honduras
Congratulations Ms. Donnie!
Hello from Florida
HI from MD
Space science is one of my favorite topics.
I love ASL! The language is beautiful and the course is very thorough and repetitive (which is great for learning and retaining a language!)
Very excited about the new ASL course!!
Yaaaay! I’m super excited for this new ASL course! I took the first course and absolutely fell in love with it! I can’t wait to be able to take it! I’m so glad you guys made a second course!
Hello from Nebraska! Can’t wait to see what we learn about the coherers from last week!
Hi from Colorado!
hi from Illinois!!!
That is sooooo cool! I love the ASL class!Cant wait to watch it. Thank Ms. Donnie
Hello From Maryland! I am very excited for today’s episode!
satellites are cool
Hi from South Carolina! That telescope is cool!
Greetings and salutations from Kentucky! I’m truly excited to learn today.
Hello, from New Orleans.
Hello from Las Vegas!
Congratulations Ms. Donnie, I’m taking ASL right now and I will keep on learning more sign language, Merry Christmas Everyone from NY!
Hello from South Carolina.
Wow, that’s so cool. The details you’d be able to catch in the pictures with those improvements must be amazing.
Hi from Chihuahua, Mexico! I am taking the American sign language class right now! Awesome job Mrs. Donnie!
Happy Wednesday! Will you be doing Science Live next week? I’m assuming not, since it would be on Christmas Eve, but I just wanna make sure.
The ASL course sounds great!
Hello from New York! I’m excited for todays science live!!
Hi from Irving, Texas!
Hi from virgina
Hello from Illinois! Happy Holidays!
Merry christmas
Hi from Mississippi! We recently moved from TN. I’m excited for tonight’s science live!
would it ever be possible to travel to one of these exo planets?
Hi from VA. Excited for what I’m going to learn today! Happy Holidays everyone! 😉😉
Hello 👋
I took the first asl class and loved it. I can barely wait until the next class is out.
I’m taking ASL to and I love the class!
I think science live is cool.
hello from texas! im excited
Science Live makes me like science.
I like science live a lot
I love this!:)
hello from OH 🙂
Hello from NY!
Dr. John is always the funniest segment of the science live!
Hello from Kentucky!
How much do these kinds of telescopes cost to make?