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. Samantha

    hello from Missouri!

    Reply
  2. Nathan

    Hi from illinois

    Reply
  3. Nevaeh

    heyyy

    Reply
  4. Veronica

    Hello from Missouri

    Reply
  5. Daniel

    Hello to all Acellus students I hope evryone hade a good week

    Reply
  6. Hailey

    Hello from Mississippi!

    Reply
  7. Samuel

    that cool

    Reply
  8. Lincoln

    im so glad to be here

    Reply
  9. Asher

    Hello!

    Reply
  10. Jaylani

    Are some animals genuinely robots and we just don’t know?

    Reply
  11. Camryn

    Hi from CT!! Love the weekly science lives!

    Reply
  12. Ultan

    Hi from Washington

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  13. Hayden

    Hello from Georgia

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  14. Ali

    HI FROM VA

    Reply
  15. Kenady

    I enjoyed learning about the sharks!

    Reply
  16. Natalie

    A robot insect? So interesting!

    Reply
  17. Kennija

    Hello!

    Reply
  18. Jacob

    Hello from Texas.

    Reply
  19. Elaina

    Hi from Missouri

    Reply
  20. Lucy

    Hi!

    Reply
  21. Ely

    hi im here

    Reply
  22. Brayden

    Hello From Maryland! Very hyped up for today’s episode.

    Reply
  23. Carson

    Hi how are you

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  24. Thalia

    hi from texas love the lives.

    Reply
  25. Aadil

    love this👌🏽

    Reply
  26. Carter

    Hey from Florida!

    Reply
  27. Harley

    how can insects move so fast?

    Reply
  28. Owen

    here from GA!

    Reply
  29. Liam

    i like technology its fun

    Reply
  30. Matthew

    I truly wonder how small robots can get

    Reply
  31. Alexander

    This is cool.

    Reply
  32. Jibran

    Hello from MD

    Reply
  33. Sarah

    this is interesting

    Reply
  34. Murphy

    Hi from Texas!

    Reply
    • Dean

      Happy Birthday Dr Roger Billings!!!

      Reply
  35. Ciarac

    Hello

    Reply
    • Kahlen

      Hello from Houston 🙂

      Reply
  36. Renuka

    Hello from Florida!

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    • Liam

      Hello from Michigan

      Reply
    • Sophia

      Happy Wednesday!!

      Reply
  37. Jameson

    Love science live ❤️

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  38. Jayleigh

    hiiii

    Reply
  39. Jayla

    Happy belated birthday Dr. B!!!

    Reply
  40. Jonathan

    Hello from missouri!

    Reply
  41. Riata

    How many named shark breeds are there?

    Reply
  42. Kaitlynn

    Hi!

    Reply
  43. Erik

    flying in hot from the east coast

    Reply
  44. Kelby

    Hello! here from North Carolina, im excited learn more!

    Reply
  45. Wagner

    Good evening from Madison TN

    Reply
  46. Abbygayle

    Hello from Illinois

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  47. Jack

    hello from texas

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  48. Ahmed

    Hello from North Carolina, glad I could make it, hopefully we can view another innovative episode

    Reply
  49. Brantley

    Hello

    Reply
  50. Alexander

    Hello, everyone!

    Reply
  51. Chloe

    Hello from Tx!

    Reply
  52. Kennedi

    CommentHi from Georgia.

    Reply
  53. Barbara

    oh that’s cool, I love sharks they are so fascinating.

    Reply
  54. Sebastian

    Hi

    Reply
  55. Hayleigh

    hey

    Reply
  56. Tiffany

    Hi from Maine

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  57. Gwen

    happy wednesday everyone! <3

    Reply
  58. Victoria

    Hi from Alabama I love science
    .

    Reply
  59. Lilly

    hello!

    Reply
  60. Mason

    Sharks can help us determine the water flow in the ocean.

    Reply
  61. Owen

    Hello from michigan

    Reply
  62. Josiah

    josiah from missouri

    Reply
  63. Avery

    heyo ! here from nc, love learning new stuff from this live !!

    Reply
  64. Mariya

    Hiiiiii

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  65. Jalen

    hi

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  66. Sabastion

    hello from kansas.

    Reply
  67. Faith

    hi from Texas!

    Reply
  68. Trystan

    THIS MY FIRST TIME! Pretty exciting.

    Reply
  69. Rigel

    Where can I find more information on these sharks they sound really neat.

    Reply
  70. Faith

    What oceans can you find those sharks?

    Reply
  71. Parker

    Sharks are so cool!

    Reply
  72. Madelyn

    What are some of the other characteristics of the sharks?

    Reply
  73. Isaac

    love this live

    Reply
  74. Efrain

    Very cool to learn about that shark

    Reply
  75. Michael

    Science live is amazing!!!!!

    Reply
  76. Natalie

    Hey everyone. from Virginia. It is calling for 10 to 16 inches of snow this weekend, and I’m so excited!

    Reply
  77. Holly

    How does the shark not use any energy?

    Reply
  78. Isaiah

    hello from la

    Reply
  79. Emery

    Hi from TENNESSEE

    Reply
  80. Esdee

    Esteem watching from Nevada!

    Reply
  81. Bianca

    Hi from florida

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  82. Eshrak

    hi

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  83. Leland

    hello every body NC here

    Reply
  84. Christopher

    Hello!

    Reply
  85. Ayonna

    Hi from Texas!

    Reply
  86. Briana

    hello! i’ve always been interested in sea life, i feel like sharks are misunderstood

    Reply
  87. Johnathon

    saving sharks? Wow!

    Reply
  88. Aiden

    Here from arkansas getting ready for a winter storm hitting here on Friday night all thru the weekend they are calling up to a max of 2 feet of snow or 2 inches of ice

    Reply
  89. Madyson

    hi

    Reply
  90. Lyric

    Hello from Arkansas.

    Reply
  91. Catalina

    Hi from Texas! :]

    Reply
  92. Kylie

    happy science live.

    Reply
  93. Jordan

    Wow sharks are very cool and fun, but dangerous, very dangerous

    Reply
  94. Juliana

    I’m from wierton wv

    Reply
  95. Jaidyn

    Hello from Indiana! Do you offer, or are you going to offer, an online college program?

    Reply
  96. Mason

    I would to watch the sharks! How Cool!!!

    Reply
  97. Larissa

    hello

    Reply
  98. Diego

    hello from Houston!

    Reply
  99. Kole

    Good evening

    Reply
  100. Conner

    I can’t wait too see tonight’s Science Live.

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  101. Lee

    Good evening

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  102. Charlotte

    So excited for science live today!

    Reply
  103. Skyler

    Hello

    Reply
  104. William

    so excited for science live! from georgia

    Reply
  105. Ayden

    how big are eplec sharks

    Reply
  106. Jaxson

    Do those sharks still exist and if so could we use them to help us?

    Reply
  107. Liliana

    That shark sounds pretty cool

    Reply
  108. Genesis

    Hello form Georgia

    Reply
  109. Levi

    Hello science live from Missouri!

    Reply
  110. Aurelia

    Hello!

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  111. Philasinee

    Hello

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  112. Conner

    love this

    Reply
  113. Landen

    Hi from Illinois!

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  114. Zara

    Howdy from Texas!

    Reply
  115. Natalie

    Hello!

    Reply
  116. Addison

    Already wednesday!? im so excited!!! Love science live!

    Reply
  117. Elijah

    Woah I wonder if other sharks can do that or if its the only one?

    Reply
  118. Stephanie

    Hi everyone! Super excited to learn more about science!

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  119. Ezra

    Hello from California! I’m excited for todays Science Live!

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  120. Peyton

    I am here

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  121. Jordyn

    Hello from Georgia!

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  122. David

    Hi from Texas!

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  123. Clarke

    Hello from Texas!

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  124. Mckenna

    Hello from a farmer!!

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  125. Evan

    HI HERE FROM MO SOOOO HAPPY

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  126. Naiah

    Hello from New York!

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  127. Joseph

    Hello!

    Reply
  128. Kadin

    hi everyone

    Reply
  129. Damien

    wow, there’s been nearly 300 episodes’ of this. that’s impressive

    Reply
  130. Ashton

    How many species of sharks are there in the world

    Reply
  131. Kaylei

    Hi from Mississippi! What did you eat for dinner? I had pizza.

    Reply
  132. Raylan

    Sharks are really cool

    Reply
  133. Sean

    Hello, from North Carolina!

    Reply
  134. Alastair

    Where do these kind of sharks live and what do they eat?

    Reply
  135. Elena

    Hello from New York.

    Reply
  136. Aliz

    Good evening from Virginia.

    Reply
  137. Reilynn

    i love acellus

    Reply
  138. Tristan

    hi from florida

    Reply
  139. Huda

    Hi, from Maryland!!

    Reply
  140. Genevieve

    Hello from Chicago!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  141. Valentina

    Hi from Arizona

    Reply
  142. Adam

    Hello from Nashville Tennessee

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  143. Orlando

    hello from tn!!

    Reply
  144. Gracie

    How many types of sharks are there in the world that we know of?

    Reply
  145. Alexis

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
  146. Kaiden

    I love sharks

    Reply
  147. Shaima

    Finally SCIENCE LIVE started.🤩🤩

    Reply
  148. Cameron

    how big is the shark?

    Reply
  149. Kelsey

    Hello From NJ

    Reply
  150. Jorel

    Yay science live

    Reply
  151. Merielle

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
  152. Charlotte

    Good evening!!

    Reply
  153. Lana

    I’m excited for the science live

    Reply
  154. Abigail

    what are elptic sharks

    Reply
  155. Mason

    hello from texas

    Reply
  156. Zoe

    Hello from SC!

    Reply
  157. Matthew

    LOVE SCIENCE LIVE SOO COOL LOVE YOU PAJEt

    Reply
  158. Jax

    Hello from MD. Hope everyone is well on this chilly Wednesday evening.

    Reply
  159. Michael

    Hello, from Texas

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  160. Brynlee

    Yesss, brynlee here!

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  161. Joahana

    Hello from Texas !!!

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  162. Thailyn

    hiii i love watching these lives!

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  163. Tanner

    Hello from Belton, Texas!

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  164. Gunner

    Hello from TN!!!

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  165. Alexa

    Good afternoon!

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  166. Isabella

    Hello from Illinois!!!

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  167. Ayden

    hi from montana

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  168. Gunner

    Hello from Gunner in South Carolina!!! Looking forward to learning tonight!

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  169. Victor

    Hello from FL!

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  170. Jabari

    I like biology.

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  171. Dhyland

    Hi From New York

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  172. Ashleigh

    I AM EXCIDED FOR TODAY SCIENCE LIVE.

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  173. Arabella

    hi from MD… love the show

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  174. Ryan

    Hello from California! thank you for another amazing video!

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  175. Annalise

    hello from CT

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