The Vacuum Tube Diode
January 7, 2026 • EPISODE 292
What invention helped spark the age of electronics? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings and the Protégés break down the vacuum tube diode—one of the earliest electronic components that made controlling the flow of electrons possible. Learn how this simple device works, why it was so important in early radios and computers, and how it laid the groundwork for modern electronic technology. Join us for a clear, engaging look at a key milestone in the history of electronics.
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 »
I want to help R51 figure out how we can make the sun come out during the night.
Is it possible for me to vote for both? I want to vote for both!
I vote both honestly but if I had to choose, David!
They make tiny robots! that is so cool!
I vote for Caleb
David and Caleb should work together!
The explanation of the telegraph by Samuel Morse was very interesting
I liked both David and Caleb. Would we be seeing them every episode, or just some of them?
I think Caleb is a good scientist
I vote for David and happy new year!
I vote for David!!
I like how R51 thinks he is a grandson. It’s funny.
My mom says that there use to be tubes in tvs.
I VOTE BOTH!!
I really enjoy playing guitar like Caleb!
Im just starting acellus and im so excited to get started, so far everything is great!
I voted for Caleb
David!
I give my vote to both!
I vote David!
I’m excited to see David and Caleb back at it with more fun!
I VOTE DAVID!
I found it very interesting when Dr. John talked about the world smallest robot. It has a processor, memory, and it can swim. All of this and it’s smaller than a grain of salt! How amazing!
another vote for caleb
Another vote to Caleb’s pile
MY VOTE IS ON CALEB!!!!
THE FIRST JOKE LOL
I vote for David!
I vote both.
I had no idea that the Morse code came from a painter and I thought it was silly to paint a painting of PAINTINGS! Those robots were sooo tiny! I was surprised when they showed us that they moved in the water and it’s only a penny for each robot!
I vote for both but I think David!!
This science l!ve was really fun. I really like protege series explains these high tech science inventions. I’m definitely going to be looking forward to their videos. they are both educational and fun! thanks so much!
I want David. I loved when the robot made a sun and a grand sun.
I like r51 made a son and grandson.
I love both!
vote for caleb
I vote for both Caleb and David!
This week on Science Live, Dr. John talked about how researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan created the world’s smallest robot and how they programmed it. This week on Science Live, Tobias talked about an American inventor of morse code and painter by the name of Samuel Morse reinvented the telegraph. This week on Science Live, Dr. Roger Billings talked about the vacuum tube diode.
I vote for David! He’s funny!
David and Caleb were great!
Both are awesome
I’m voting for Caleb!
I ❤️ Science live
I vote for Caleb!!!!!!
I vote David because he sounds like he would be good and i like girls basket ball and he likes basketball.
Good Job David and Caleb!
I vote for R-51
Thank you for teaching us new things every week!
I’m going to become an author! I really want the new writing class! Vote for Caleb! He shoud have a class about filming!
I vote David!!
This one was the best Science LIVE ever!!
Thank you Dr. Joseph for starting this year’s first Science Live off with another cheesy (but funny) joke! (Your jokes are the pH of brilliance- just the right balance to make the video great.)
For the vote for the protege, I vote both. Both are really funny and have great jokes, and both are great candidates for the job. Although Caleb isn’t necessarily interested in science, he does play an instrument, which demonstrates high knowledge. David also plays sports, and if anyone reading this is a sports player, you know that sports have a lot of math and science and physics going on behind the scenes. Overall, I vote both. Have fun, Dr. Roger Billings, teaching two new chaotic proteges!
I choose Caleb
I like the part about plants breathing because my parents own a plant nursery
I Vote For David!!
My vote is for David and Caleb
I definitely vote for Caleb
I personally think science live is the best because it teaches kids to learn more. It also helps them build confidence to help them achieve there dreams and goals in life. So my personal thought is that it teaches kids to never give up and that there is room for mistakes. So i hope kids can achieve the goals and become the best person they can become!!!!
The program was very informative. I really enjoyed the different topics. Keep up the great work. Thank you all for you guys efforts to make these wonderful episodes for us every Wednesday.
I enjoyed this science live about vacuum tube diodes! Thank you so much
I loved this episode! I can’t wait for the next!
Super excited to be back in science live!
I Vote for Caleb. 😀
Morse code is very interesting. I vote for David!
This was cool. It is tough, but David gets my vote!!
I vote for both .😁
I vote for Caleb!!
I can’t choose they are both really good
These videos motivate me to do my work more!!
I VOTE FOR CALEB!
Both are very funny and have their own way of explaining, I like them both for their unique explanations! I vote yes for both!
David all the way!
My vote is going to David! Both seem like very intellectual and logical people!
I vote for Caleb!
I choose both! They did a good job and made it fun!
I liked how they explained how science can be used everywhere including sports.
Another vote for Caleb here!
I vote Caleb!
Wow congratulations to Anastasia! I know that she had to work really hard to get to that college!
Another vote for David!
Thank you to all of the teachers of Accellus and Dr Roger Billings for making school so fun and enjoyable!
The fact that the tiniest robot can swim is actually pretty cool.
David for the win!!
I vote both!
Vote for Caleb
I vote for David to!
Noticed that both are passionate about their interests, like marketing or production, leaning towards science and art, which is really amazing, keep going higher!!
I vote for both!
They both give great explanations so I voted both!
I love how they both show intelligence they both explain in a way for me to understand
I vote Caleb!
I’m definitely voting for David!
This is very educational!! Thank you Roger Billings.
I vote both!
I vote both
this video was my favorite so far. thank you for all the work you guys put into each and everyone of our school work.
Caleb!
Both get my vote!
I vote for David!!
This was by far the best video!
I love how the Roger Billings son and grandson explained everything they talked about.
This was my favorite science live yet!! Love it!!
I vote both!
I VOTE DAVID!!
Can the robots propel themselves while they are swimming?
Hello from des moines ia!!!!! I vote BOTH!!!! hope everyone had an amazing holiday season!!!
I vote Caleb!
I vote both!
if I had to pick David but both happy new year!!
I enjoyed learning about Dr. Billings favorite grandson cause I’m interested in learning an instrument as well like piano.
Both get my vote!
Both
I vote for David
I loved how at the beginning the girl who graduated is showing that this program really can be successful when you put in the effort.
I vote both of them, both Caleb and David sound pretty logical and intelligent.
I vote for caleb!
I vote for David
voting for David!
David has my vote!!
Great science live, can’t wait till next week!
totally going to vote for both!
Excited to watch the first live of the New Year!
Wow- this was a really interesting science live! Both Caleb and David explained The vacuum tube diode perfectly- to where I can understand everything quite well. I’m so proud of Anastasia for getting into the college! Good on her! So excited for the next science live.
I vote for both
I think I will vote for David.
I vote both honestly.
Good to be back! Good show
Could micro robots maybe be used for complicated surgeries? Or have they been used in that way?
i just absolutly love science
first science live of the year!!
I VOTE CALEB!
I like both! Hope you all had a great New Year 🤗
I would vote for both of them, it seems to me that both David and Caleb would make an exceptional team.
vote for David!
Why do you have to have battery or wires to make things work?
I vote for both David and Caleb because they are both funny!
Samuel Morse was such a genius.
The part about the drove that will be able to predict tornados is really cool. My dad gets really nervous about tornados when there is a storm. I think that would help him be less nervous.
This was a wonderful informative video. I voted for David both both were great!
David and Caleb both got my vote!
i vote Caleb!
happy new year!!!
I love both <3
I vote David
Two thumbs up!
Yeah, i vote for both
I think David and Caleb are great!
I’ll vote for Caleb, but both would be great
I vote David
Ella from CO
Honestly I like both but I’d choose Caleb
I agree with everyone here, choose both!!
I vote for David!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would have to say I vote for both!!
r51 is sooo funny. I like the vacuum tube diode. It looks amazing.
I LOVE THEM BOTH THEY ARE AWSOME!
I vote for david!
my vote is for david
I vote for David because he likes to hunt and his company seems to be for a great cause.
I really like David but I also like Caleb I would say both.
My favorite part of the science live was R 51
I vote for Caleb and David I am also learning how to play the guitar.
I say both because they both could do great things
I LOVE science Live
Personally I vote for both
They’re both good, but I’m gonna vote for David.
Its interesting how a painter can invent morse code and the thing that really stood out to me was the way he decided to make each letter shorter or longer based on how much it was used in the news paper. I think both David and Caleb are great.
I vote for Caleb. Also Happy New Year!
Caleb YES.
This Science Live this week was awesome! My vote goes to Caleb.
I vote for BOTH!!!
Greath Show! Happy New Year!
There both cool but i vote Caleb
Happy new year🎉! Everyone!
I like the tiny robot. I like Caleb the most.
I vote David
I vote for David and Caleb!!!
I vote both!
David has my vote!
I voted for both!
I vote for both
I vote for both to be honest
Both too please and thank you 🙏😊
I vote for both David and Caleb. By the way, happy belated New Year! May 2026 be the best for all of us!
I vote both of them.
I would have to say both!
theyre both so great!
That is so interesting about the plants!!!! How cool!!!!
I vote for both but if I had to choose I’d lean more toward David!
I vote for David, but Caleb is a close second.
Voted for David.
I voted for David!!! but I wish I voted for both!!
Happy New Year!! Could there be a hybrid tree that could produce more oxygen but be the same size, generally, as a standard tree?
Both of them have my vote
The vacuum diode is interesting because it is an electronic device that allows the electric current in one direction and blocks the electric current.In another direction. You’re a used in radio , television and even cars.
I liked when R51 was talking about how to make a sun.
I am voting for both
The vacuum tube diode was important for early radio and electronics. This was useful for TVs
I vote for both! They were easy to understand, funny, and nice to look at haha!
i vote david and caleb
Great episode! Love both guys are amazing!
My vote for David! Caleb is great too! Thank you for the class!