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 »
morse code should be taught in school more
Great episode
Love this!
Very cool!!
computers are always so interesting
Hello from NC!
I found the first part about plants to be extremely interesting!
I loved this science live!
I loved the part at the end
Can the world’s smallest robot be tracked in case it goes missing since it’s so small? Dr. John said each robot has their own id number so many they could use that to track it?
This live was super cool! It’s really interesting how so many parts can fit inside a tiny robot.
I love how much computers have advanced over the years.
I feel like drones are very interesting creations.
We do school on computers which is awesome! 😀
I love science live.
Science live! Let’s go !
This is so interesting. I am happy science live is back.
I loved this video I gain some info on the vacuum tube diode.
I love Area 51 it is so funny
Loved it
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still love tuning into these science lives!! 🙂
David and Caleb were awesome.
Wow!
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Both were amazing !
I love this episode it was so AWESOME!!!
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Another intriguing segment!
It is really cool that they made a robot so small like a crumb.
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Very interesting
Good information
Computers can be so fascinating!
My mom loves AM radio. She watched this video with me!
The beginning was inspiring
Who invented the vacuum tube? And why did they call it the vacuum tube?
I can’t b that diamonds and carbon nano are in the same family
I can’t b that diamonds and carbon nano are similar.
If a vacuum tube diode only lets current flow one way, how did early radios use it to turn radio waves into sound?
science live is amazing!
Extremely interesting to watch, loved every minute.
It’s hard to chose between David and Caleb’s explainations.
love the science live
David and Caleb are the best!!!
comment* I didn’t know that plants breathed carbon dioxcide, I thought that they breathed oxigen like us that is so cool!
Let’s Go!!! First Science Live of the Year!!! 🥳🥳🥳
That’s amazing. I’m excited to continue research on the vacuum tube diode.
I like the way they broke it down at the end.
I really liked science live.
The vacuum tube is cool.
I wonder other human like attributes plants have?
How do they make technology so small I feel like all the needed stuff would not fit into something so small.
can’t wait for the next episode!
This episode was amazing!
i love learning new facts!
This is so cool
I would pick both David and Caleb because both of them made it easier to understand AC and DC waves and what the Edison effect is.
I am excited about this video!
I really loved learning more about the electronic inventions
Another great episode.
I really enjoyed the morse code segment, thank you for another great episode!
Enjoyed the live this week!
Hello from Colorado!
Wow amazing
Loved learning about all the electronic inventions.
So glad I’m homeschooled
Watching from Idaho
Both definitely
Modern radios are similar to old radios.
This is really neat
science!!
Technology is awesome
It’s so hard to choose
That is cool
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Best thing to watch
Love these
Awsome love this episode
Such a cool video!!
Hi from Maryland !
I love Science Live!
Morse code it’s pretty cool
Awesome videos thanks . Happy new year!
What kind of technologies to you think will evolve from the Vacuum Tube Diode?
I really enjoyed the story about the guy who wanted to get letters almost instantaneously
Great Class!
Amazing video!!!!!
learning about vacuum tube diode was very interesting.
I like this episode
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE.
Amazing!!
I love R51! He is so funny!
Very interesting, Thank you.
I liked both of them!
Enjoyed the jokes as always *starting the New Year out right” LOL
R51 is always funny,
Awesome show this week!
Caleb and David together they are awesome
This video was fun to watch I liked the part about the small robots that costed about a cent.
awesome science live video to start the new year
a bit late but learning about recent robot tech was cool.
computers are always so interesting to learn about.
Science Live is awesome! I love learning new things
This was a fun episode.
I love science live
I’m exsited for this video!
Its so cool how so many peoples brains come up with such amazing inventions like this one.
Love what technology has to offer.
I loved this weeks video!
I love science live
I loved getting to hear about all of the new interesting tech!
I am not tech-savvy at all, but this video was interesting. The robots are so small, I love them!
David and Caleb yes
I would pick both of them. They compliment each other well.
Going to start learning more morse code , so interesting!
Sometimes I wish we could go back to simpler times .
The tiny robots are amazing!
It was really cool to learn how Morse code was made and why.
Another great video
This episode was so funny. Congraulations David and Calab.
This episode was so cool!
Technology is like magic
I love learning more about early scientific and technologically advancements/inventions?
I didn’t know how complex inventions really are!
The vacuum tube diode is so cool!
i loving working on computers
i love science live!
Cool
That is really cool. How did you come up with the idea to do that?
How do the phones, computers, iPads, e.c.t work with such a small chip and electricity?
This was a good video.
How can a vacuum tube help the quality of sound
I love science live
Drones are so cool!
I want to build a robot!
That’s so awesome I love this episode!
A microscopic robot that can swim! Wow!!!
Great lecture! I like both David and Caleb together. These guys are great!
Wonderful episode
this was so cool to learn about
Learning about the invention of the morse code in this science live was super interesting!
Computers seem so complicated
So informative everytime.
I love Acellus and how his appearance in the science video
happy new year. science live is back!
Tobias’s lesson on morse code was very interesting!!
how is it possible to create robots so small?
David yes Caleb yes
Wow that’s amazing how Anastasia did a project with Nasa
Great video
I liked the Morse code
Thank you – looking forward to the next episode. i like the humor as well
I love to learning about new things on science live!
this video was great
thank you for video
How big is the Vacuum Tube Diode?
Love this video.
Super awesome!
Thank you for all the info. I might take the AP courses!
Technology keeps advancing!
Fantastic episode y’all.
Does Acellus have a legitimate creative writing class? If so what grades?
Caleb’s glasses and morse code are both pretty cool.
Watching from Virginia! I like the different varieties of topics Science Live covers! Watching plants breath ! WOW
Science Live time! Wow! Watching plants breath- this will open so many windows for plant life discoveries!
There is always something new to learn about vacuum tubes-Thanks Dr. Billings
Technology is so amazing.
Thanks for another awesome week of science live
At first the vacuum tube looked simple, but I learned it was really important. It helped me understand how electronics started.
Tech is so interesting!
I have done code with the game the robot game and I love it!
It is good to know we have all this technology. One essential element in science. It was nice to see your son and grandsons and see how they have ambns of music and science for the futre.