Transistors

January 21, 2026  •  EPISODE 294

What is a transistor and why is it important? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings explores how transistors control electric current, replaced bulky vacuum tubes, and made modern electronics possible—from radios to computers and smartphones. The episode also features a tiny bug-like robot developed by MIT and the fascinating story of Henry Ford and how Thomas Edison influenced the development of the automobile.

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 »

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3,015 Comments

  1. Caden

    Hello everyone happy new year how will Artificial Intelligence affect our lives in good and bad ways or scenarios

    Reply
  2. Yuezes

    I always learn so much facts from the science live! Hello from NY!

    Reply
  3. Aria

    hello from Wisconsin!

    Reply
  4. Aaron

    this is so far a great vid

    Reply
    • Lilly

      HEYY another great science live HELLO FROM NEW MEXICO

      Reply
  5. Keanu

    Hi

    Reply
  6. Benjamin

    so while apple made pong you made the first recognizable laptop computers? super cool!

    Reply
  7. Isaac

    The microprocessors amaze me!

    Reply
  8. Liam

    I think that is so cool

    Reply
  9. Kyra

    Heyy

    Reply
  10. Kayleigh

    Love it!

    Reply
  11. Gabriel

    hello from indiana

    Reply
  12. Naiya

    I like this live.

    Reply
  13. Stella

    hi from GA

    Reply
  14. Abdiel

    Hi from New orleans

    Reply
  15. Arlene

    that’s very interesting 🤔

    Reply
  16. Amaya

    Hi from north dakota

    Reply
  17. Isaiah

    Hello from Maryland 1 question I have is, what safety features were added if any were included in the original Model T?

    Reply
  18. Emersyn

    Hi from TN!

    Reply
  19. Wyatt

    15 million model T’s produced is an insane amount of cars.

    Reply
  20. Cristian

    Hey from New Jersey!

    Reply
  21. Leah

    hiii from illinois

    Reply
  22. Lylliana

    Hello from Wisconsin.

    Reply
  23. Mason

    what was your factory called

    Reply
  24. Tressa

    hi from Wyoming 🦬

    Reply
  25. Lynne

    So cool!!

    Reply
  26. Savannah

    hello!

    Reply
  27. Adrian

    what do you guys think about grok I’d like to see y’all do a episode about it and other AI’s.

    Reply
  28. Elana

    I love these videos there so cool

    Reply
  29. Grace

    this is interesting

    Reply
  30. Marlowe

    Hello from Florida!

    Reply
  31. Lauren

    hii!!

    Reply
  32. Anabell

    Ello so glad and happy about this live.

    Reply
  33. Jaelyn

    Hi everyone! I enjoy these lives every week!

    Reply
  34. Kyra

    Hi from Texas!!

    Reply
  35. Nevaeh

    Hey from Texas!

    Reply
  36. Nahum

    hello from Massachusetts

    Reply
  37. Matteson

    hi from ny

    Reply
  38. Ryder

    Awesome!!!!!1

    Reply
  39. Aubrey

    Hi!🤠

    Reply
  40. Emma

    hi from Georgia🖐😁

    Reply
  41. Lily

    wow

    Reply
  42. Anna

    I love science live cant wait for more next week!

    Reply
  43. Adelina

    I love science life

    Reply
  44. Nora

    my little sisters are watching with me they are 5 and 4 and love it!!!!!

    Reply
  45. Mason

    Its crazy how far technology has come.

    Reply
  46. Victoria

    I’ve never heard of file servers before! That’s cool!

    Reply
  47. Edward

    love these

    Reply
  48. Aaron

    this is amazing so far

    Reply
  49. Alizae

    Hi everyone!

    Reply
  50. Chase

    I enjoy how DrB is always interesting to listen to. He gives a lot of details and explains things clearly. Such as inventions!

    Reply
  51. Andrew

    Great video guys!

    Reply
  52. Thomas

    Hi

    Reply
  53. Oscar

    I love your tie, Dr. Billings.

    Reply
  54. Maximino

    Hello from Wisconsin!

    Reply
  55. Sadie

    hi from Wisconsin!

    Reply
  56. Axl

    Hello from Montana

    Reply
  57. Stephanie

    I love science live !

    Reply
  58. Brianna

    Howdy from Texas!

    Reply
  59. Olive

    Hello from Louisiana!

    Reply
  60. Talia

    It sounds like you guys know everything. I wish I was that smart!

    Reply
  61. London

    Hello from the Bahamas,

    The history of the Ford Model T was very interesting and it shows me how dedication can really pay off.

    Reply
  62. Hunter

    Building a factory sounds neat!

    Reply
  63. Kevin

    Love this video.

    Reply
  64. Halen

    Hello from Montana

    Reply
  65. Chloe

    Roger Billings kickstarted the Internet?! What next, he invented sliced bread? Just plain impressive stuff.

    Reply
  66. Zoe

    hiiiiii to everyone in science live!!!!! And i think its so cool how much Dr. R has accomplished in his life and how much he’s still accomplishing right now!!!

    Reply
  67. Dean

    Thank you for teaching us again Dr. Billings.

    Reply
  68. Charlotte

    Hi from Georgia 🫡

    Reply
    • Elena

      I love these lives!

      Reply
    • Lillian

      Hey from Texas

      Reply
  69. William

    microprocessors still amaze me on how small they are

    Reply
  70. Zayan

    Hey from florida

    Reply
  71. Naylynn

    It amazes me how inventors are so dedicated to their work that they spend years on it, such as Henry Ford spending nearly 19 years on the Ford Model T.

    Reply
  72. Elijah

    Very smart to use mass production to make a lot of cars to sell so you can make a lot of money since your product is a great deal.

    Reply
  73. Jasper

    Hi all!!

    Reply
  74. Raymond

    hi

    Reply
  75. Arlene

    Comment* hello from Chicago !

    Reply
  76. Remington

    Wow I love live

    Reply
  77. Emma

    Here from North Carolina!

    Reply
  78. Loreli

    Helloo!! Really enjoying all the info this science live!

    Reply
  79. Maliah

    Cool!

    Reply
  80. John

    I wonder what ford would think of today’s cars and process on how it’s built. How cool he started it.

    Reply
  81. Logan

    When was the first microprosseser made and who made it?

    Reply
  82. Calvin

    he sold over 15 million! That is insane

    Reply
  83. Josiah

    Science live is fun I really enjoy watching it

    Reply
  84. Kinley

    He made a lot of cars

    Reply
  85. Brinley

    I can’t believe it took nine years to build the Ford car!

    Reply
  86. Afrah

    Hi. Dr . billings i like your live show

    Reply
  87. Matthew

    Hi

    Reply
  88. Gabriel

    Thank you so much for such great information!

    Reply
  89. Aubree

    Hello from Nevada!

    Reply
  90. Luis

    I love the science lives!!

    Reply
  91. Mariana

    hiii

    Reply
  92. Tiffney

    hi

    Reply
  93. Isabella

    The Edison/Billings connection is super cool!

    Reply
  94. Wahuda

    Hello from georgia

    Reply
  95. Elijah

    Hello from mo. I really like the intro to life science class

    Reply
  96. Elijah

    Checking in from TX!

    Reply
  97. Brady

    Dr John’s part about the little flying robot was really cool

    Reply
  98. Matteson

    hey from NY.

    Reply
  99. Marilyn

    Excellent story telling. Everybody already knows Ford’s story, but I was still listening to find out what happens!

    Reply
  100. Ryker

    thanks for having me

    Reply
  101. Asher

    How do they give the robot instructions?

    Reply
  102. Aaliyah

    hello from wyoming

    Reply
  103. Jackson

    Hello

    Reply
  104. Hayden

    hello from CT!!

    Reply
  105. Isabella

    hi from ohio

    Reply
  106. Peyton

    I love learning about ford, the model T is what started it off.

    Reply
  107. Liah

    my fav teacherrrrrrrrrrrrrrr lady pajet

    Reply
  108. Jasper

    Love the video!!

    Reply
  109. Maddox

    Watching from Georgia

    Reply
  110. Daniela

    hello from Nevada

    Reply
  111. Elin

    Mr Tobias, again with the amazing tie! Also inspiring talk on Henry Ford.

    Reply
  112. Mira

    I can’t imagine how Bill lear and Dr. B felt when they saw their Mentor!! So Bill Lear Getting mentored by Thomas Edison and Dr. B getting Mentored by Bill Lear!!!

    Reply
  113. Eric

    how did they make so many cars

    Reply
  114. Rachel

    That is so cool & interesting how Thomas Edison, Bill Lear, and Roger Billings are connected. Then how the invention of the assembly line was created.

    Reply
  115. Joseph

    The fact Dr. Billings made his father’s car a hydrogen one is really interesting, I always loved that fact.

    Reply
  116. Olivia

    How Dr.Edmond’s conspiracy course coming along?

    Reply
  117. Wahuda

    Acellus is one of the best schools i have ever been.

    Reply
  118. Nebiyah

    Hello.

    Reply
  119. Kloe

    Great video

    Reply
  120. Daniel

    hello

    Reply
  121. Gavin

    Hi from Kentucky

    Reply
  122. Kaitlyn

    Hii

    Reply
  123. Lj

    Wow! I thought I knew the Henry Ford story, that was interesting.

    Reply
  124. Jack

    hi

    Reply
  125. James

    who knew henry was inspired by thomas

    Reply
  126. Emily

    So excited Drb I want to see what’s today

    Reply
  127. William

    cool!

    Reply
  128. Lovena

    How many cars did they make?

    Reply
  129. William

    ive been waiting all week for this and ill say im not disappointed

    Reply
  130. Bradley

    I wonder about the history of hydrogen cars now.

    Reply
  131. Joseph

    Watching from puerto rico

    Reply
  132. Adeline

    Could you adapt the tiny robots to be built on an assembly line and then have them work in groups like bees to do better projects?

    Reply
  133. Case

    thank you

    Reply
  134. Caidyn

    I enjoyed Dr. Tobias’ lecture about how Henry Ford took the idea of making an affordable pocket watch to make the Ford car.

    Reply
  135. Deepak

    It was so interesting

    Reply
  136. Peyton

    Cars are super cool! I love cars!

    Reply
  137. Liam

    present

    Reply
  138. Sophie

    hello from missouri! i love learning with acellus and science live!

    Reply
  139. Nika

    Welcome Dr. Roger Billings

    Reply
  140. Jacob

    Good evening!

    Reply
  141. Heba

    hello from ny

    Reply
  142. Jocelyn

    When I think about how inventions come about, I find it hard how people come up with different ideas. Now I realize that it is okay to take inspiration from others with more experience!

    Reply
  143. Christopher

    I think its so cool that a lot of inventioners cross paths with each other!!

    Reply
  144. Ann

    love science live

    Reply
  145. Evangeline

    Hello

    Reply
  146. Garrett

    Love the Model T……thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  147. Michael

    hello Dr. Billings

    Reply
  148. Braylee

    Hello from mo. I really like the epic moments in world history class

    Reply
  149. Aubrie

    Did they sell all the cars?

    Reply
    • Nevaeh

      Hi from Montana!

      Reply
  150. Jocelyn

    Checking in from WI!

    Reply
  151. Isabella

    hi from tennessee

    Reply
  152. Oliver

    Hello everyone… Ollie from Houston

    Reply
  153. Rennan

    This is interesting! Learning something new!

    Reply
  154. Bella

    Cars and converbelts!

    Reply
  155. Noah

    So interesting!

    Reply
  156. Riley

    hey

    Reply
  157. Marco-antonio

    An entire car in 90 minutes must have been very impressive!

    Reply
  158. Sadee

    sadee u here!! how cool is that!

    Reply
  159. Aubrie

    How my did they make?

    Reply
  160. Joseph

    hi

    Reply
  161. Madison

    Hello from North Carolina!

    Reply
  162. Jarrett

    We all need encouragement to keep us going.

    Reply
  163. William

    Hi from Tennessee

    Reply
  164. Johanna

    Wow!

    Reply
  165. Jesse

    The way robots get more and more advanced is amazing.

    Reply
  166. Ryker

    Hello from Arizona! Ford was an inventioneer.

    Reply
  167. Anastasia

    Hello from Tennessee

    Reply
  168. Lillietta

    Hello from Missouri! So glad to be here tonight!!

    Reply
  169. Reagan

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
  170. Yan

    Hi from ny!

    Reply
  171. Charlie

    I’m here

    Reply
  172. Selah

    this is so cool!

    Reply
  173. Samantha

    I did not know that about cars.

    Reply
  174. Baylee

    Hi from Tennessee

    Reply
  175. Aiden

    Wow

    Reply

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