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 »
Hello from MT
Texas here happy to do this live with everyone
How do people come up with these ideas? Also how do they play it out and make it exactly how they wanted it to be?
Didn’t he invent the assembly line?
Henry Ford made cars cheaper, even though many people believe he invented the car
Ha ha ha “stables have turned.”
I love this type of Technology!!
Its cool how they made a robot move as fast as an insect
Hello from Alabama
Hello from VA! Henry Ford is really fascinating!
Hii, I’m so happy now that i’m starting to learn the basics of science. I’m even more exited for what’s to come next and continue my learning journey.
why do you think people from back then (the 1800’s) were so advanced for their time?
I like science live a lot
i love science live!
Great Episode!
I always learn something new here at science live!
Hi from Alabama !
Hello from North Carolina!
That little robot is super cool.
Hi From Virginia!
Henry Ford was an amazing historical inventioneer.
The stables have turned lolllll
That’s cool
It is amazing to witness the levels of technology human beings can achieve no matter the size of the invention.
Hello!! How is it going today?
I wonder how much the first cars cost.
Good evening, I am really enjoying science live! I always learn new interesting information.
Robot pollonators are great since the bees are disappearing. Which I think is really sad, but we need a way to continue to grow food.
It’s so interesting how the value of things change overtime like that, I wonder how the prices are decided?
Kayla from new jersey!!!!!!!
Listening from Arizona
Back after a long winter break
Hello from Virginia. I like the bug robot. You never know where they might BEE! buzz zzzzzzzzz
here from ND
Super interesting today, these drones are super cool!
wow the flying robot was so cool? What other things can they make?
yeah I know right? What grade are you in?
Hi! Robotics are super neat.
Thomas Edison was so smart fr.
Great science live! Thank you
hello from ny
T for Twenty!!!
I was interested about how so much people can make these amazing robots and creations.
Hello from OH 🙂
Hi from Florida 😁😁
Howdy from Texas! Looking forward to todays lesson.
Hi there! Julian from Dallas!
wow it’s incredible these adventures and theory’s
Hello Hello!! So excited for tonights Lesson!
so cool
we have a big snow storm can you guys have a thing on weather?
Very neat!!!
I LOVEEEE ROBOTS 🤖
wooow cool!
It’s crazy to think that Ford and Edison lived at the same time!
My thoughts exactly
Science is so interesting
How many teeth does a shark have?
Hello from texas
That’s really cool!
I wonder if one of the robot bees could blend in if it was in an actually bee colony.
Mylah here checking in.
i love science from texas
Hi from MS
Hey From texas
Hi from Virginia
The tiny robot it so cool! I wonder how they programmed it.
Ford worked at the Edison company ?
this is so interesting!
how do they make things like that ?
hello
Sharks are really interesting!!
I always look forward to these lives!
Hello
Hello.
Hi from VA!
How long does it take to make a robot?
How do they program it?
How do they program it to do that
hi from oklahoma
Hello. This is Ameer from California.
Its amazing how they do that
Looks pretty cool tbh
love the videos
From ATL
HELLO! I’m JACKSON FROM ILLINOIS
I would like to own a drone like that!!(R-51 is the mastermind behind it, Just Kidding!)
Hello from Costa Rica
That’s so cool that it will able to go places drones can’t,I wonder what l we will be able to find
Hello
Zahdyn -Small inventors can make such amazing things love today’s live
how do they make things like that?
Hi from Florida
hello from Georgia
Hello!
Hello from Australia
Watching technology evolve is so cool! Imagine what kind of cars we’ll have in just a few years!
What would happen when they make the little insect drone not so little?
What if they add a camera to the tiny fly so they can git infermation on it. Are yall with me?
Hello from Virginia!
Henry ford is so cool I’ve always looked up to him I did a wax museum project about him in middle school!
hii from indiana
Pocket watches are so cool.
Hi
This is amazing
It’s wild on how they create things
Henry Ford was a very curious man!
The science lives are so fun to watch, and they teach me so many amazing things.
hi from Montana!
wow its amazing that they saw this technique as very simple.
I wonder if our military could use flying robots? I would think it would be much harder to find.
Hello from NC, the drones were really cool.
i absolutely adore these lives!
Great Information!
love science live
I did not know that they made tiny robots that fly really fast.
I like the idea of a little drone!
I thought it was very interesting how they made such a tiny flying robot like that, how do they program something like that?
That’s a really cool robot.
when was he first robot made
so excited for science live
Thank you Acellus
That’s amazing that drones can go that fast. it seems that those drones will be good for information.
Hello from Delaware Dover USA
Watching from IL as we prepare for the snow!
So cool!
hey every one from GA here! : )
Thats so cool!
Hello from Winston salem
How could you make the drone wireless but still so lightweight and small wouldn’t the wire tangle the drone up after a while?
How long did it take to make those parts?
Another cool Wednesday evening video!
How did people figure out how to make pulley systems?
When was Henry Ford born
Hi! I’m from Utah! I just Love Science Live! It’s so cool! 🔬
How do guy think of this ideas
This video is so great love New Jersey !
I love breakthrough moments in science!
Hi from Tampa/Florida
Hello from Texas! Excited class this evening.
Hello from California. Looking forward to learning 🙂
I think it is so crazy that 1 insect is so fast!
Great show tonight!!!!
Hello from SC!
Wow this is amazing
Wow that is cool
Hii! from mn
very cool!
Could you upscale the robot technology to make full size robots to carry humans?
so excited to watch!
What is a pocket watch?
I love Science live
hello I’m from american
This is so cool!
Hello from New York! Great video as always!
hi from Tennessee *
Hello from Kentucky
Mr. Tobias is my favorite teacher on Science Live!!
the robots are so cool
Hi from Nashville!
it would be cool if those drones could be used in search and rescue and to even pollinate stuff would be so cool i think its amazing how we can make something so small and efficient
Goodnight everyone from New York very sorry I’m late
hello from Baltimore
This was a great live can’t wait for next weeks live
a bit late but hello form Kansas!
That is so cool.
Hi from Maine
Hi from Ruskin, Florida
Hello! I’m happy to be here with y’all!
i wonder could the little flying robot really pollonate?
Have robots been used as pollinators before, or is it just a possibility?
Hi from Texas!
Are there any temperature restrictions for the little flying robot? Could it be used in rescues out in snow?
Hi, from New York.
Good evening everyone looking forward to class today!
loving Acellus
i love acellus
Cool fact about a high efficiency drone.
Could the robot be coded so its wings would move like fins if the robot were to be caught in water?
I wonder how they make the robot.
I love drones.
How do they talk to the robot?
Hi from Tennessee!
For that small robot to fly with a robust build that can be resistant to tons of things can actually help us in other cases. I do wonder if they plan to make it even more smaller…
Very interesting!
What would happen if you used a thicker wire on the tiny drone? How much could it withstand?