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 »

Follow

6,385 Comments

  1. Priya

    this is so fun

    Reply
  2. Grayson

    I agree she should do more courses. It’s an important class.

    Reply
  3. Gabriel

    Make another video about social emotional.😭

    Reply
  4. Chiara

    pleaseeee we would love am emotional intelligence course!!!!!! Omggggg pleaseeeee

    Reply
  5. Angel

    I can’t wait for r51

    Reply
  6. Joseph

    Yayyyyyy r51 is back once again

    Reply
  7. Abigail

    Please do another paijet Monet 🙁

    Reply
  8. Sarisha

    Sure to Emotional Intelligence 2!

    Reply
  9. Joseph

    whats the diffrent internal combustion of gasoline or disel.

    Reply
  10. Sania

    Yes we would like Dr. Pajet to create another course.

    Reply
  11. Sterling

    Yesssssssssssssssssss!

    Reply
  12. Yasmine

    we would like more social emotional DR PAJET.

    Reply
  13. Tyler

    Helloo

    Reply
  14. Khang

    That robot was so cool.

    Reply
  15. Myranda

    emotional intelligence 2!

    Reply
  16. Aliyah

    MORE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL! MORE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL!

    Reply
  17. Avyanna

    Good night

    Reply
  18. Bella

    Do a SEL3

    Reply
  19. Alaina

    science live was great today.

    Reply
  20. Zolietmaria

    PAJET SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE ANOTHER COURSE!!

    Reply
  21. Zeina

    – Definetly have something in common with Henry Form! I love inventing for future generations!
    – Yes Pajet create another course!!!

    Reply
  22. Anna

    I think Pajét should film another course

    Reply
  23. Cameron

    Do it Do it film other one. please

    Reply
  24. Ashlyn

    Thank you!!

    Reply
  25. Andre

    Yes

    Reply
  26. Autumn

    Yeah, do it!

    Reply
  27. Molly

    can she do one for loving yourself I know that some people struggle with it

    Reply
  28. Justin

    Very interesting!
    Hi from Nebraska!

    Reply
  29. Ar`lexia

    please do it lady pagin

    Reply
  30. Jackson

    DO THE NEXT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL PLEASE!

    Reply
  31. Andrew

    Yes Please film another course

    Reply
  32. Daniel

    it is amazing

    Reply
  33. Adlynn

    please do another social emotional

    Reply
  34. Wesley

    Will Elvis Presley be coming back to Acellus world?

    Reply
  35. John

    Make another course! And put the book in the gold shop please! 👍🏼

    Reply
  36. Meagan

    I would like Emontional Intelligence 2

    Reply
  37. Mira

    YESSSSS TO THE PAJET COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  38. Fotios

    NEW CLASS!!!!

    Reply
  39. Jameson

    YES I AGREE!!!

    Reply
  40. Rutledge

    Yes please do another one!

    Reply
  41. Juliana

    make another course

    Reply
  42. Brie

    You have to Miss Pajet!

    Reply
  43. Makenzi

    Lady Page Monet, PLEASE MAKE A NEW COURSE

    Reply
  44. Hawwa

    yesssss do it we need another Page Monet course

    Reply
  45. Julia

    Yes I love her classes!

    Reply
  46. Ahmed

    Have a great evening!

    Reply
  47. Eagen

    yes either would be great . Her course was great

    Reply
  48. Nicholas

    Yes please another course! Her voice is so soothing.

    Reply
  49. Andrew

    so how and where do i sign up and yes to the second emotional class

    Reply
  50. Ibrohim

    I agree

    Reply
  51. Ashton

    I think emotional intelligence would be interesting.

    Reply
  52. Naomi

    Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

    Reply
  53. Aiden

    Make more social emotional!

    Reply
  54. Jake

    Hello from Binghamton.

    Reply
  55. Tyler

    this is very interesting

    Reply
  56. Aubrie

    DO ANTHOR COURSE!

    Reply
  57. Tru

    Yes

    Reply
  58. Caleb

    I want to come!

    Reply
  59. Paislee

    It was amazing this week.

    Reply
  60. Joaquin

    Another One!!

    Reply
  61. Haylee

    i love this

    Reply
  62. Elina

    Cool

    Reply
  63. Alyisana

    do it. I dare you.

    Reply
  64. Javier

    Another one!!!

    Reply
  65. Ekow

    yes

    Reply
  66. Keagan

    Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

    Reply
  67. Claire

    I’m always so excited for our weekly episodes!

    Reply
  68. Ana

    I would love for Pajet to do another Social Emotional course

    Reply
  69. Lila

    please film another one!!! I love SEL!!

    Reply
  70. Elaina

    I want Pajet to make a new one too!!!

    Reply
  71. Isabella

    yes please!

    Reply
  72. Jay

    yes

    Reply
  73. Logan

    film another one!!!

    Reply
  74. Anastacia

    please do that

    Reply
  75. Jennifer

    YEEES! YES PLEASE!

    Reply
  76. Grayson

    Yes please

    Reply
  77. Addison

    So cool!

    Reply
  78. Zoey

    Yes yes yes yes

    Reply
  79. Eduardo

    How long is Acellus world going to last

    Reply
  80. Nolan

    I love acellus

    Reply
  81. Rahel

    Thank you Dr. Billings!

    Reply
  82. Ryker

    i love this!!!

    Reply
  83. Natalie

    So proud of all the graduates!

    Reply
  84. Ashton

    I love science live

    Reply
  85. Andres

    hi

    Reply
  86. Danika

    This is super interesting!!!

    Reply
  87. Penelope

    r51 r51 r51 r51 r51

    Reply
  88. Alexis

    Hello from Virginia!

    Reply
  89. Billy

    my fist time in home school this fun.

    Reply
  90. Grayson

    When will it be released

    Reply
  91. Kdufrerne

    Very great video.

    Reply
  92. Chase

    in my opinoin its supprising that henry fords hero was Thomas edison

    Reply
  93. Isabella

    Hi everybody!

    Reply
  94. Shannon

    I’m very excited for this course!

    Reply
  95. Lucy

    WOW!!!!!!!!!! This is so cool

    Reply
  96. Zolietmaria

    I am absolutely speechless that the course finally has a submission date!!!!

    Reply
  97. Ryan

    cool video

    Reply
  98. Lillian

    hi from florida

    Reply
  99. Phebe

    This is cool

    Reply
  100. Allyson

    Love science live

    Reply
  101. Mila

    hello from tennessee !!

    Reply
  102. Chase

    hey I wanted to bring some things I made.

    Reply
  103. Lilly

    I cannot wait to attend a graduation

    Reply
  104. Dillon

    great episode tonight! from GA

    Reply
  105. Avery

    LOVE!!!!!

    Reply
  106. Nora

    Watching from Kentucky!!

    Reply
  107. Xavier

    Hi from Indiana

    Reply
  108. Ruby

    love the live

    Reply
  109. Alyisana

    cool

    Reply
  110. Beau

    Hello from South Dakota!

    Reply
  111. Sebastian

    COOL

    Reply
  112. Jackson

    I think I graduate in 2027!

    Reply
  113. Jonathan

    Thank you for this I learned something new

    Reply
  114. Alicianna

    Science is awesome!!

    Reply
  115. Alyssa

    Was awesome to learn about Ford. I liked learning about the transistor, they make learning engaging.

    Reply
  116. Nicholas

    Hello from Texas

    Reply
  117. James

    we loved you ask it, we know it!
    thanks.

    Reply
  118. William

    Comment

    This is so interesting! Hi from Illinois

    Reply
  119. Erin

    hello from mississippi!

    Reply
  120. Noah

    The transistor radio talk today was neat!

    Reply
  121. Silas

    I would love to attend a science live!!

    Reply
  122. Travis

    The Science Live this year keeps getting better and better! I’m loving all of the unique new content. Transistors were very interesting to learn about too.

    Reply
  123. Janelle

    It’s always funny and nice and cool to watch this :)))

    Reply
  124. Emma

    I thought the little flying robot was really cool!

    Reply
  125. Ivette

    Comment, I enjoy the talked about the radio and the first home telephones.

    Reply
  126. Yursephany

    The fact you make the Acellus Gold store items right there makes them even more special!

    Reply
  127. Felicie

    Dr B do you have a patent?

    Reply
  128. Lorelai

    Science live makes me have so many questions that my mom calls me curious bug haha I wonder how rubber affects electricity

    Reply
  129. Gavriel

    Good evening everyone

    Reply
  130. Elaina

    i enjoy these every time!

    Reply
  131. Rebecca

    Hi from Indy!

    Reply
  132. Bentley

    One thing I didn’t know was that polar bears skin is black.

    Reply
  133. Julia

    How do I sign up to go?

    Reply
  134. Riley

    Can you register to go to Acellus World, even if you live in another state?

    Reply
  135. Joseph

    I love r51

    Reply
  136. Deepak

    I love science live

    Reply
  137. Orin

    I love the store!

    Reply
  138. Nguyen

    thank you Dr Roger Billings for such an amazing live.

    Reply
  139. Julia

    How do I sign up for that?

    Reply
  140. Anastacia

    I would like to thank pajet for soicial emotional class It has helped me so much

    Reply
  141. Philip

    Thank you so much for Science Live, I’ve learned so much!

    Reply
  142. Christopher

    working with transistors sound cool!

    Reply
  143. Milove

    Hello

    Reply
  144. Connor

    I love science

    Reply
  145. Walker

    When is the Acellus Factory Tour?

    Reply
  146. Genevieve

    I am so looking forward to seeing the acellus world and seeing how your fair can teach others !!

    Reply
  147. Sorraya

    Was interesting and pretty cool to learn about the transistor.

    Reply
  148. Tyler

    Love these!

    Reply
  149. Arikah

    This is so cool!!!

    Reply
  150. Sadie

    I actually found the bit about Ford pretty interesting!

    Reply
  151. Braden

    They did a great job of explaining the transistor with their video. They make it fun!

    Reply
  152. Mira

    How can a semiconductor sometimes let electricity flow and sometimes block it?

    Reply
  153. Anniston

    I love science live!!

    Reply
  154. Ahmed

    Was a transistor more affordable than a radio with a vacuum tube

    Reply
  155. Aston

    Nevada here!

    Reply
  156. Rylee

    Hello from Hawaii!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  157. Hunter

    hello from michigan

    Reply
  158. Talia

    Nice!

    Reply
  159. Scarlett

    North Carolina here!!!!

    Reply
  160. Jackson

    My radio will be completed with a transistor!

    Reply
  161. Sophia

    I enjoyed this live! I like how people use the same existing inventions and then find ways to improve them, making them great innovations, can’t wait for the next live!

    Reply
  162. Korsh

    Excellent information

    Reply
  163. Joseph

    joe from new york

    Reply
  164. Azaziah

    I found the Henry Ford story very interesting!

    Reply
  165. Kyla

    I enjoyed listening to Dr. Billings talk about how computers work back then.

    Reply
  166. Danielle

    So cool!! I love science live

    Reply
  167. Javier

    I need more of You Ask It We Know It!!!

    Reply
  168. Jenna

    hi hello hi I’m from ND

    Reply
  169. Gabreilla

    Hello from Georgia

    Reply
  170. Jack

    cool guys

    Reply
  171. Silas

    Hi from Tennessee

    Reply
  172. Mason

    Love watching these videos

    Reply
  173. Juliana

    their funny

    Reply
  174. Oskar

    I agree with you guys better come here every Wednesday you learn a lot from these lives thank you

    Reply
  175. Ka'eo

    Science live more like science LOVE!

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Anna Cancel reply

By clicking "Submit", you agree to our Terms & Conditions. Required fields are marked *

Recent Episodes