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 ProtĆ©gĆ©s 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 ā€œDrBā€ 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 ā€œgive backā€ by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.


Read more about DrB » 
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program Ā»

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3,549 Comments

  1. Liam

    How did they make the robot so small

    Reply
  2. Madelin

    With a robot that small, how do they not loose it

    Reply
  3. Delanie

    I love science

    Reply
  4. Alice

    That’s insane! So cute

    Reply
  5. Timothy

    Thats so cool

    Reply
  6. Austin

    how brittle are the components considering how small the robot is?

    Reply
    • Tristan

      This was my first time joining I just enrolled and I really liked it

      Reply
  7. Stella

    Hello from Augusta GA

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  8. Damien

    Hello, love the science lives.

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  9. Alina

    That is so cool! it can swim!? That is amazing. I love science!

    Reply
  10. Cameron

    that is a small robot.

    Reply
  11. Jaelyn

    Hi All, I am so ready for a new year of Science Live!

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  12. Dayton

    Happy new year, first episode of 2026.

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  13. Elena

    I love science Live. I’m from Memphis Tennessee. I’m Elena

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  14. Micah

    We’re going to have Tony Stark nanotech before GTA 6!

    Reply
  15. Keagan

    i really want to take both AP and Honors when I get into High school.

    Reply
  16. Reilynn

    i love science!!

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  17. Connor

    That tornado thing is cool,I wonder how that works? I wonder how they made that robot?

    Reply
  18. Nolynn

    Hello everyone!

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  19. Ava

    wow this helped so much

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  20. Aubrey

    Happy New Years! Watching from South Dakota.

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  21. Bradley

    happy new year!

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  22. Miranda

    Im so excited for the live today!

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  23. Jaime

    I love science

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  24. Valerie

    Hi, from Ct

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  25. Clarissa

    Hello everyone happy new years !

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  26. Elijah

    Hi from Florida, I think it would be cool to study hurricanes.

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  27. Kayelee

    Hello!! from Texas

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  28. Alice

    Hi from VA!! Loving the first Science Live of the New Year šŸ™‚ !!

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  29. Roger

    wow

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  30. Finnigan

    Why do flowers breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen?

    Reply
  31. Jermaine

    Good evening,
    Jermaine from Georgia checking in!

    Reply
  32. Lily

    Wow that is So small!!

    Reply
  33. Hunter

    Wow that is really small.

    Reply
  34. Joseph

    Happy New Year!

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  35. Sarai

    That is so small , how do you pick it up and handle it without messing it up?

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  36. Leonardo

    First Science Live this year!

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  37. Kaleb

    Ready for Science Live

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  38. Collin

    Hello, from Al!!

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    • Zackary

      hello from ai

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    • Disa

      I wish I could post pictures in the comments 😭😭 my dog is watching this one with me and its SOOOOO cute

      Reply
  39. Aubrey

    Hello love it.

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    • Andrew

      Very interesting how the tiny robot can swim!

      Reply
  40. Quinn

    Wow now how cool is that it’s soo cool

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  41. Ava

    Happy New Year to everyone!

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  42. Samuel

    hi from kentucky

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  43. Sefia

    Happy new year! First Sience Live on 2026t

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  44. Azlynn

    hi from GJ

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  45. Lillian

    How many classes do you have on Acellus?

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  46. Justin

    hi from mo

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  47. Elijah

    this is what i always like

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  48. Mary

    Hello from Indiana.

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  49. Caroline

    Hi guys

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  50. Gavin

    Hi from Kentucky

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  51. Bella

    Happy new year everyone and congratulations Anastasia!!

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  52. Caleb

    Hello Everyone!

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  53. Joseph

    I can’t wait for what this year of Science Live holds!

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  54. Sarai

    Hi from New York City yay

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  55. Preston

    Hi from Colorado

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  56. Aubree

    Hello from Nevada

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  57. Lyric

    Hey guys! Happy science live is back!

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  58. Jasper

    Hello from Texas hope everyone’s new year was good

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  59. Isha

    hello everyone

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  60. Elijah

    I wish I could attend Science Live in person.

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  61. Jacob

    With the development of those drones, will storm chasers possibly have an easier time gathering data? Seems like a really cool opportunity for them.

    Reply
  62. Zion

    Hello from Indianapolis

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  63. Nia

    Hiii happy to be here from TN!

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  64. Mae

    hello everyone

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  65. Essence

    Hi from texas

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  66. Ellie

    Hello from washington

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  67. Timora

    This is absolutely amazing

    Reply
  68. Esrah

    What was the biggest tornado ever?

    Reply
  69. Bronte

    hello from nj

    Reply
  70. Michael

    that AP reading class is very interesting, i may end up doing the class

    Reply
  71. Hayden

    Hello from Virginia.

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  72. Belden

    Thank you for sharing the AP classes information.

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  73. Eli`jah

    Hello from tx

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  74. Maria

    Hi from Florida happy new years

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  75. Jacob

    hello from ga

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  76. Bailey

    Good live

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  77. Trinity

    Happ New Year! hope everyone enjoyed their vacation

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  78. Ryein

    hi from Texas

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  79. Maximus

    Hello from Rhode Island!

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  80. Alice

    HAPPY NEW YEAR

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  81. Isabella

    Love it

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  82. Quinton

    Hello from California

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  83. Valerie

    Hi from TX. Happy New Years!

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  84. Carson

    hi from va

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  85. Christian

    Sign in from Alabama

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  86. Thomas

    Hi from Texas

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  87. Daniel

    Hi from Tennessee! I’m so exicted for this sience live (:

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  88. Kinzie

    Hello from Nebraska! Can’t wait to see what we learn about today!

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  89. William

    such an awesome podcast

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  90. Opal

    happy new year! from TN

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  91. Briley

    That’s cool about the drone flying into a tornado but wouldn’t it get destroyed?

    Reply
  92. Alexander

    What was your favorite thing about 2025

    Reply
  93. Jaelyn

    Hi everyone! from L.A.

    Reply
  94. Mykal

    Happy new year! I hope you guys keep thinking of great ideas for Acellus in 2026. Have a great day from Myka.

    Reply
  95. Cheyenne

    Hi from GA!!

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  96. Raven

    hi

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  97. Taelyn

    Hi

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  98. Carly

    Hi from Mississippi!

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  99. Timothy

    Howdy from texas and happy new year everyone im so excited to be back for another year of science live with Dr. Roger Billings

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  100. Kemberlynn

    Comment* Let’s go first science live of 2026!!!

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  101. Tenleigh

    checking in from North Carolina

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  102. Aaliyah

    Hello from WV!!

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  103. Briana

    *here from texas! so excited these are back.

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  104. Michael

    hi Michael from ny

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  105. Remington

    It’s very interesting that anastesias design can save people’s life’s

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  106. Sawyer

    Hello from NC

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  107. Reagan

    Hello From Las Vegas

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  108. Leah

    Hi from NJ

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  109. Saydie

    hiii

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  110. Carly

    hi from MD

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  111. Cayden

    Hi from Maine

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  112. Lawren

    Hi from Texas

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  113. Hannah

    Hello, from Texas!!

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  114. Braylee

    Hello from mo. Can’t wait for this week’s episode šŸ˜

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  115. Jona

    Hi from Oklahoma

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  116. Mercy

    Hi from CA

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  117. Isabelle

    good afternoon

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  118. Colton

    Hello, from nevada!

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  119. Francisco

    Happy New Years everyone! 1st live stream of the year!!!

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    • Wahuda

      Hey from Georgia

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  120. Gwenna

    So excited when i can do higher advanced classes!

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  121. Krue

    Hi I’m KRUE and I’m from maryland

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  122. Emelia

    hi

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  123. Logan

    From Texas, happy new year.

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  124. Phichsinee

    hi from thailand

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  125. Yehuda

    cant wait for science live!

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  126. Kamille

    Nice live

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  127. Annistyn

    hai!!! i cant wait to be back for learning. happy new years!

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  128. Wyatt

    Hello from SC!

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  129. Jaxson

    Happy New Year!! hope everyone had a good christmas!

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  130. Annabella

    hi and happy new year

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  131. Randa

    Happy New Year thank you for science live and always being inspirational looking forward to watching science live again. Acellus is the best school and I always learn so much . Thank you for this school.

    Reply
  132. Tate

    hi Tate from fort belviour happy late new year.

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  133. Aden

    hi

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  134. Sabrina

    Hi from massachusetts! ready for todays video!

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    • Asdri

      hi

      Reply
  135. Daniel

    hi from tx

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  136. Gabrielle

    Hi from Rhode Island!

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  137. James

    hi from georgia

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  138. Seth

    Hi from kingsport

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  139. Aleika

    Happy new years !!!

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  140. Abiella

    Happy New Year

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  141. Aniyah

    Happy new year from Louisiana!!

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  142. Zen

    Hello everyone I hope everyone had a great Christmas and new years

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  143. Mason

    Plants can also help produce more clean air.

    Reply
  144. Hunter

    Hi from Kentucky!

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  145. Alyanna

    Happy New Years!

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  146. Makayla

    happy new year from virginia

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  147. Sydney

    hi from Tennessee

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  148. Hayden

    Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays!

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  149. Landon

    Hi

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  150. Eryn

    Is it a great new year 🌹😃😃

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  151. Callie

    hi from Michigan!!

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  152. Caleb

    hello from NC

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  153. Jaxon

    Hi from North dakota

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  154. Kristian

    Hello everyone

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  155. Ariel

    Happy New Years Science Live!

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  156. Christopher

    Hi from Tennessee

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  157. Aaliyah

    hi from nc! hope yall had a good chrismas and new year!!

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  158. Hailey

    Happy new year

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  159. Jedriel

    First live of the year!

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  160. Skyler

    What are AP classes

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  161. Kelby

    Hello from Nc! happy new years, i am excited to learn more this year!

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  162. Valerie

    hello from GA!!

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  163. Justin

    Hello from Kentucky

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  164. Addyson

    hi from indiana excited for today

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  165. Rose

    hello from north dakota!

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  166. Hannah

    Hey from Kentucky

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  167. Ethan

    checking in from u.s.

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  168. Titus

    hello from arizona

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  169. Preslee

    Happy new years!!

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  170. Abiella

    Hi from Georgia

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  171. Hala

    Thank you for the video.

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  172. Liam

    Happy new year!

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  173. Kennedie

    Hi I’m from North Carolina

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    • Sayed

      Hi from Louisiana

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  174. Aiden

    Here from Arkansas happey new year to everyone

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  175. Braxton

    how are yall

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