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 »
How a few words of encouragement can really change a person’s life for the better!
hi from Texas! Can’t wait to learn today!
Robots are cool will they be more advanced in the future?
Robots are so fascinating!! I love learning about science.
Nice!
Love science!
How long did Henry Ford work on the first car?
hello from texas
Hello Preston 👋😊
Watching from Indiana
How come the wings on the flying robot didn’t break when the falling object hit the wings?
Did he not have enough money to make the first car affordable?
Did Tesla make ac energy?
hiiii from ILM
Imagine being complimented by Thomas Edison
I love science live!!!
Edison was so cool!! I’m so glad to learn about him more
Love science lives
hello
the robot was really cool
hi from ny
Those robots are so interesstingg.
This is so incredibly interesting, its a very inspiring story
That robot was so cool!
this is really cool, i love science! and i love learning about how things are made because its really cool how people take those things and makes even better and better versions of it
the flying robot is so cool
How did Edison know that the model would be so successful?
And at that moment, history was made!
That’s so interesting
I never knew that Edison Inspired Henry Ford!
nicee
So much technology
hello from tennessee
Hello, from the East Coast. Stay warm this weekend.
hello from NJ
So so so cool
hello from oklahoma
how was your day
hiii
This is so interesting
Hello from Texas!
Hope everyone is having a great day
How did the drone flip so fast?
Hey guys, soon we might be like the Jetson’s
hi
Hello From SC!!
Thanks Tobias!
hi from Norco CA
I love the hair
Wow I never knew Thomas Edison and Henry ford worked together that is so cool !
wow 🤩 this is so interesting and cool!
so cool!
That’s interesting
Cool stuff Henry Ford the most reliable car ever perfectly cool 👌🤌
hello from nd!!! I’m so happy to be here for this weeks live! !!!
how do I do that
thats cool
Would have been so neat to meet Ford and Edison.
flying robot is cool what is other things it can do?
Hello everyone!! Can’t wait to learn from tonights science live.
The robots were cool!
exciitedd
hi from Missouri
Everything about science is cool
Hello from Iowa
Hello from the Bay Area!
Science is amazing.
hello from Texas!
Hello from Rhode Island
when did henry invent that vehicle?
cool!
Hello from OKlahoma!!
People are so creative when it comes to building things. It’s so amazing to hear about robots and other things people made.
robots are so cool
what truly makes someone have the passion to continue a project after so much discouragement
very cool
Happy Wednesday. Robots equally fascinate and scare me.
The flying robot was so neat.
How did early electric cars run?
who decided to use horses as a form of mobility?
Hellooo!!
This is opening up a whole new world of knowledge on robots! Kinda intriguing!!!
10 flips! I wonder what else this little robot can do!
Hello from North Carolina! What is everyone’s dream job right now?
Hello No matter how many times I learn about it Henry Ford always amazes me
The flying robot was cool because now that our world is evolving as we speak it turns more techninc
Hi from west virginialove science live
hello from texas
It’s crazy to think that Dr. Billings is one connection away from Thomas Edison!
What kind of fuel did it use?
A small flying robot that’s faster than an insect is amazing. I love it, it’s very impressive how they made something so small, so powerful and fast.
Hello!! I’m happy to be here!
Do you think in the future it’s possible they make more greater and better things?
how can I use science in my life to help me focus????.
Wow he was very determined.
Hi from NJ.
Can’t wait for the live tonight! Look forward to it every week
Hello from Hawaii!
Issac from MD
I love robots!
yeah! science is my favorite subject.
hello from mobile alabama
hi from Florida
I am so excited for this weeks live!!
greatings from Texas
haha… the “stables” have turned.
super interesting!
The robot was really neat.
Good evening everyone! We always enjoy listening to the inventory stories!
I wish quadricycles still existed. This would be so fun!
A quad cycle would be so cool
The flying Robot was cool!!!!!!
Hello, My Georgia. I am excited to be on science live for the first time . Cant wait to learn more each week from it
i love science live
It’s so crazy how cars looked when they were first made and it was like a carriage and bicycle mixed and now they are completely different.
How did Henry Ford get the resources to build a car?
I am glad that cars were invented. I cannot imagine riding around in a wagon or carriage. I already get carsick enough as it is.
I enjoy these lives
How much does the robot cost?
The quadricycle looks cool.
This is so fascinating!
Wow! That’s so interesting!
I was excited about flying robot.
*hi im here from ky
Hello, happy Wednesday !!!
So Inspirational!
Hi from Massachusetts
hello from texas
Hi from Texas!!! 💖
how fast can the cycle really go?
the flying robot was so cool
I wonder how fast the small robot can fly? 🤔
Hello from DE
that robot was so cool
how did Henry Fords first car run, did the car have an engine?
The horseless carriage is the automobile.
It’s crazy how cars came to be!
Hello from Michigan!
Will insect-robots ever be used?
Hi from Virginia *
The background of Henry Ford, and his beginnings in the world of invention is so interesting.
That’s so cool.
that looks like it would be soo much fun to ride!!
I love the way Tobias talks /teaches. I always retain all the information
wow Henry Ford was smart!
the stables have turned was pretty witty. My parents want to get a horse
hi from OK
what was first car ever?
This is so amazing
its cool how the robots are made
Greetings from nevada!
Hello from Washington
The little flying robot looks cool. Thanks for sharing!
The quadracycle looks so funny but I would love to try and drive it!
I was really interested about how people can make these amazing robots.
I love science live!
That robot was tiny,cool it can do so many flips.
what made him want to keep going? and how many times did he have to fail to understand how to make these things?
cars are very cool
What if cars were never made?
The little robot was so cool to learn about and, how Henry ford made his own engines and makes cars with it.
Flying robots, I thought that would be our future as a kid
robots are cool
The robots are cool!
Hi from California!
cars are really cool
Hello from NJ
Henry ford hired the disabled, he was known for hiring people with disabilities, with roughly 20% of his work force being disabled at one point.
My favorite part of the week!
I love watching science live!
How small was the flying robot?
hi everyone i love science live
Hi from Alabama
hi from texas :>
Hi from ky
Did early cars ever use steam engines?