Transistors

January 21, 2026 Β β€’Β  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 possibleβ€”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 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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3,015 Comments

  1. Chaelob

    I learned a lot from this live.

    Reply
  2. Ethan

    I thought the tiny drones were really cool

    Reply
  3. Jakeh

    No way we’re getting Science live on TV!! That’s great!!

    Reply
  4. Lucas

    Loved the video!

    Reply
  5. Hudson

    How can you make flying things faster?

    Reply
  6. Davin

    I love “Area 51” and “You ask it we know it”

    Reply
  7. Dhruv

    I liked this video a lot

    Reply
  8. John

    hi. i love the radios

    Reply
  9. Kaulani

    transistor radios are cool.

    Reply
  10. Madeline

    I learn so much every time I watch these

    Reply
  11. Emma

    hi science live is the best

    Reply
  12. Annabelle

    It’s so amazing how technology is advancing with Nature’s help.

    Reply
  13. Liv

    Loved the science video today!

    Reply
  14. Harper

    Love listening to Tobias because he is funny.Thank you acellus!

    Reply
  15. Jade

    Happy science day

    Reply
  16. Jaggar

    I wounder how trainsistors work

    Reply
  17. Emmett

    The drones are really cool 😎

    Reply
  18. Rebecca

    Comment I love school!

    Reply
  19. Brady

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
  20. Ashton

    Amazing episode can’t wait for next week!

    Reply
  21. Julia

    Science live is so cool I cant wait for next week.

    Reply
  22. Gabriel

    good job, can’t wait for next week

    Reply
  23. Leah

    Approximately how long does it take to design a satellite and launch it into space?

    Reply
  24. Blake

    i cant wait for Acellus World.

    Reply
  25. Elah

    Thanks for the video

    Reply
  26. Arianna

    hi you guys are the best

    Reply
  27. Brody

    radios are awesome!

    Reply
  28. Victoria

    I loved this video!!!

    Reply
  29. Aiden

    Happy Thursday

    Reply
  30. Jaemed

    I love science live!!!

    Reply
  31. Bryar

    How many types of sharks are currently in the ocean?

    Reply
  32. Ziv

    this was so cool thank you DR.B.

    Reply
  33. Leighton

    He put twin sisters instead of Transistor.

    Reply
  34. Reagan

    Comment Happy thursday this was so much fun to watch

    Reply
  35. Anaia

    Thanks for the video

    Reply
  36. Reese

    The tiny robots are very cool and I find them interesting.

    Reply
  37. Angel

    i like how transistors is like a radio

    Reply
  38. Madelyn

    Thanks for the video!

    Reply
  39. Ellie

    Thank you

    Reply
  40. Nicholas

    happy Thursday

    Reply
  41. Payton

    This was really creative and interesting.

    Reply
  42. Brendan

    I love science live and R.51

    Reply
  43. Aryonna

    Wireless radios are so cool!

    Reply
  44. Eliana

    this is amazing!

    Reply
  45. Brynlee

    Gosh I love science lives!

    Reply
  46. Asher

    Is the science fair on optional project?

    Reply
  47. Cooper

    Another great video!

    Reply
  48. Nahli

    I am always looking forward to Science Live.

    Reply
  49. Eden

    Science Live is a highlight of my week! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  50. Uriah

    Thanks for the video

    Reply
  51. Andie

    That’s so cool about the shark and the eggs. I would love to learn more about that.

    Reply
  52. Lilyen

    Thank you for providing these science lives for us. I enjoy learning new things!

    Reply
  53. Elias

    I love these videos keep it up guys

    Reply
  54. Bryce

    I love Adam and Caleb’s new partπŸ‘

    Reply
  55. Rhett

    Cool radio

    Reply
  56. Gabriella

    The drone technology is very interesting. I would like that robot that flips. I learned so much thank you!

    Reply
  57. Jayden

    I need to look into joining the science fair. This is so cool.

    Reply
  58. Jon

    I Loved the part with henry ford

    Reply
  59. Mason

    Thanks for all the amazing science episodes, I really enjoy them.

    Reply
  60. Bodhi

    You should make another social emotional course. Anyways, cool science live!

    Reply
  61. Riya

    how can you make a fly be a robot and go really really fast.

    Reply
  62. Avie

    I love the funny jokes

    Reply
  63. Yochanan

    The Science Live before the big winter storm!
    Everyone enjoy Science Live and stay Safe!

    Reply
  64. Ryleigh

    Love looking forward to these every week!

    Reply
  65. Jacob

    Amazing week! I find the transmitter radios very interesting.

    Reply
  66. Gabriella

    I’m always excited to watch the science live

    Reply
  67. Jacob

    Thank you Dr. B!

    Reply
  68. Salem

    That flying robot is so cool!

    Reply
  69. Mikhaela

    Amazing*

    Reply
  70. Vonn

    technology is really cool

    Reply
  71. Aiden

    Yes, I feel like she should make another video.

    Reply
  72. Gianna

    I love science live and transistors!

    Reply
  73. Grayson

    love the video and like how you told the story of Henry Ford and area 51 love the twin sisters

    Reply
  74. Knox

    thats really cool

    Reply
  75. Salem

    That little robot is so cool!

    Reply
  76. Brystol

    this was so cool to learn!!

    Reply
  77. Logan

    I’ve always wondered why bugs like to β€œtease” us, I know why mosquitoes do, but even Bees do, The Cicada killers love to chase and swarm but never sting or bite

    Reply
  78. Franco

    I found it amazing how much computers were when you started selling them. It was also interesting how you compared when computers came out to AI.

    Reply
  79. Ezra

    I found it interesting how Henry ford actually git his inspiration for car from a watch

    Reply
  80. Danisha

    This was such a great show, I can’t wait for next week!

    Reply
  81. Tj

    Cool video!

    Reply
  82. Emily

    These videos are so entertaining and funny!!

    Reply
  83. Coralyn

    I really enjoyed todays Science Live! I cant wait for the next one!

    Reply
  84. Kailee

    There is more to the radios then I had originally thought.

    Reply
  85. Abigail

    Good morning every one!

    Reply
  86. Braxton

    What was the inspiration for the four winged drone?

    Reply
  87. Meleah

    Cool I really wanna go to the science fail since I just started this year

    Reply
  88. Liam

    I like the part about the car.

    Reply
  89. Econia

    Loved it so far

    Reply
  90. Kane

    I love this live

    Reply
  91. Billy

    Science Live is very helpful.

    Reply
  92. Harper

    Loved that video.I love listening to Tobias because he is funny. Thank you acellus!

    Reply
  93. Elijah

    Awesome science live!

    Reply
  94. Randi

    thank you for this!

    Reply
  95. Gabriel

    These videos are fun to watch:)

    Reply
  96. Mileena

    I love the mini flying robots!

    Reply
  97. Taraji

    I love watching science lives !!!

    Reply
  98. Caroline

    Hey from Tennessee!

    Reply
  99. Luscia

    Hello from Kentucky

    Reply
  100. Kyleigh

    It is neat seeing how much cars have changed!

    Reply
  101. Reid

    Henry Ford was an amazing man. My dad has a Ford truck.

    Reply
  102. Logan

    My favorite part was for sure the robots its so cool.

    Reply
  103. Kale

    Love these science lives!

    Reply
  104. Nevaeh

    Transistors are pretty cool

    Reply
  105. Cru

    Enjoyed this video and the information

    Reply
  106. Jadyn

    Happy Thursday, love this weeks video!

    Reply
  107. Kya

    I loved the stable joke that was fun.

    Reply
  108. Josephine

    I love science live! I’m still excited for that Morse code class :p πŸ˜šπŸ˜›

    Reply
  109. Alexander

    The history of the model t car is very cool

    Reply
  110. Cooper

    I love the Lives its so fun to learn something new every week!

    Reply
  111. Emilia

    I love learning from these lives!

    Reply
  112. Camila

    Great video this time!

    Reply
  113. Yasmine

    I really like David and Caleb, they always make me laugh!

    Reply
  114. Aminah

    I love this live

    Reply
  115. Brinkley

    It was really cool to see the flying robot and how fast it could go.

    Reply
  116. Roxanne

    loved this weeks video, can’t wait for next week

    Reply
  117. Blake

    This was a good live

    Reply
  118. Ansley

    Love this episode

    Reply
  119. Bryndal

    happy Thursday. It’s bryndal from Colorado.

    Reply
  120. Kailyn

    Love this!!

    Reply
  121. Jolynn

    good live to day it was cool

    Reply
  122. Grace

    Dropping in from Kentucky! I love science live, I learn so much! I hope everyone is staying safe with the snow storm coming this weekend. Here in Kentucky, we are supposed to get over six inches!

    Reply
  123. Kane

    These lives are very good

    Reply
  124. Taylor

    The program that diagnoses eye cancer is so cool.

    Reply
  125. Freya

    I really like the protΓ©gΓ©s part

    Reply
  126. Makayla

    happy thursday everyone

    Reply
  127. Xayden

    Love this science live!

    Reply
  128. Kylee

    I hate Fords. Its a family tradition.

    Reply
  129. Jolynn

    i loveeeeeeeeee cats

    Reply
  130. Skylar

    Hello, I can’t wait to learn something new.

    Reply
  131. Kaylee

    that was interesting!!

    Reply
  132. Skylar

    Hello I can’t wait to learn something new.

    Reply
  133. Easton

    These videos are so entertaining!

    Reply
  134. Riley

    How does a transistor act like a switch if it doesn’t have moving parts?

    Reply
  135. Joelle

    Hi Acellus!

    Reply
  136. Braelyn

    Awesome video! πŸ”₯

    Reply
  137. Lacey

    love watching science live! im so thankful for this program!

    Reply
  138. Samuel

    i love science live!

    Reply
  139. Preston

    how did they figure out that germanium was the best conductor of electricity in transisters

    Reply
  140. Addison

    Transistor radios are so interesting.

    Reply
  141. Journey

    I love cats

    Reply
  142. Asher

    Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  143. Summer

    This was an amazing live happy Thursday everyone !

    Reply
  144. Madison

    *I love watching science live!!

    Reply
  145. Jakub

    Transistors are so cool

    Reply
  146. Aislyn

    love this episode, so interesting!

    Reply
  147. Brody

    An assembly line is definitely working smarter not harder.

    Reply
  148. Sonny

    This is very interesting, thank you for the information.

    Reply
  149. Landon

    Congratulations to Ritcha! I love to hear the success stories about the people that went to Acellus! I just want to say, I love how Acellus allows us to retest to get a better grade. I was never allowed to do that in public schools, just another reason to love virtual learning from Acellus!

    Reply
  150. Sophia-elizabeth

    I think the small robot is really cool! it cool that it flys even though its so small i wonder what a lot a once would look like.

    Reply
  151. Lathan

    do another one Pajet Monet please please please pretty please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  152. Skylar

    Hello, I can’t wait to learn!

    Reply
  153. Selah

    what a great presentation. I loved learning about transistors. Never thought about them much at all before today.

    Reply
  154. Sophie

    We somehow have a transistor radio antique in our guest room!

    Reply
  155. Jane

    I learning about historyπŸ˜ƒπŸ‘πŸ»

    Reply
  156. Abhinav

    Love the science live

    Reply
  157. Harper

    Thank you Science live for teaching me about transistors. P.S R51 I 100% agree SAVE THE KITTY CATS, and who cares if you are there for a week.

    Reply
  158. Emily

    Love this!!

    Reply
  159. Abby

    This was yet another amazing episode! It’s so exciting being able to learn so many new things each week thanks to science live!

    Reply
  160. Emma

    The lesson was really cool this week!

    Reply
  161. Conner

    i love watching these!!!!

    Reply
  162. William

    What an inspiring invention story from Henry Ford!!

    Reply
  163. Jace

    science is fascinating in so many ways

    Reply
  164. Grayson

    Great liveπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

    Reply
  165. Gabrielle

    I love the way David and Caleb explain things.

    Reply
  166. Kimito

    amazing live!

    Reply
  167. Kele

    Happy thursday! I love cats.

    Reply
  168. Jedidiah-james

    the robot fly’s are cool

    Reply
  169. Hampton

    I love watching these science lives! Keep up the great work!

    Reply
  170. Alexander

    Its so interesting how the sharks can go on land and how they know about the tide.

    Reply
  171. Nguyen

    Watching Science life is always fun! I really enjoyed learning how model T was made and the story of Henry Ford and Edison!

    Reply
  172. Jaelynn

    Hello from Texas! I love these lives.

    Reply
  173. Angelina

    love this one

    Reply
  174. Elissa

    * Radios are so cool!

    Reply
  175. Erik

    Hello πŸ‘‹ everyone!!!

    Reply

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