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 »
Happy 2026 everyone!
Beautiful paintings.
When I heard about the smallest robot in the world the thought it was at least five inches, but it was about as small as a grain of sand, and it can swim!
Hii! Watching from Mississippi!
I vote for Caleb
I did not know there was tornados in philadelphia
Glad science Iive is back
Happy late New Year from Mississippi!!
hi
wow I love all the new things I learn on Wednesdays!!
Hello from Tampa/Florida
Welcome back! Happy New Year to everyone!
My dad is always saying he’s going to change things in January! He also told me about Morse code before! Its really cool!
hi science live
Comment how does the robot move
Nice to be here
Hi from Illinois!
Hope everyone had a great New year plus Christmas!
Hi
Hello from Georgia!!
Love these episodes 👍
What other outputs could be added to improve the capabilities of these microscopic robots?
That’s so interesting how the robot is so small
I wonder how those robots will be used in the future with building things.
Happy new years
If it’s that small how do you charge them and make them if it’s that small
robots are getting smarter
wow interesting
Thank you for this lecture today.
How do you even make it? Like is there special tools you need to fit in that little space? how do you not break it?
That’s interesting; who would have thought a robot could be smaller than a grain of salt, much less be that powerful for its size
How do they make the robots.
Happy New Years, Science Live!!
Could those microscopic robots be sent to the moon to cheaply and efficiently build moon bases?
science live is my favorite time of the day!!!
welcome back, everyone 😀
How will the robots be used to help people
Anastasia is inspiring 🙂
Hello!
Science fiction is the perfect description for what I was thinking! What if these robots aided with planetary exploration? Even though I’m interested in the medical and veterinary field, breakthroughs in medicine was not something I had in mind, haha!
Happy new year from Alabama!!
hello
hi, happy new years from virgina
Hi! Loving todays live.
wow i learned a lot about computer chips
Hi from Michigan
it is so cool that the robot is the size of a grain of sand
wow thats so interesting!
I love science! thanks for the live!
i love science
hi from Maine
wow the tiny robot is very interesting :O
hello! from Texas the big rock 07
Hi from Rochester ,ny
that is so crazy that you can program a piece of metal that costs a penny technology is getting so crazy!
That’s insane that people made a robot that small
How long did it take to design the little robots?
HEY FROM NC
Happy 2026! Will the robots be able to be used for transportation of small objects?
Science Live is back!
there is so much technology that mimics living things!! very cool
Tornados are both dangerous in some ways and amazing in others. I’m glad they made a device to track tornados down.
That is so cool that the computer chips can be smaller than a grain of salt! I would have though they couldn’t be that small! Also its so weird about the price, I thought it would have had to be thousands of dollars. Not one penny!
It honestly it reminds me of the movie ” Big Hero 6″
Wow!! That’s amazing!!
these are some cool robots
i didnt know things could function so tiny!
Hi from Tennessee
That’s so cool !
Nice
Love it!
Happy new years everyone!
Welcome back all !!:)
Something about the idea of tiny robots wiggling to communicate like bees is kind of cute.
I love Science Live!
Hi from St Louis
hi from hawaii
im so excited for tonight!!!
so cool! hope yall are having a great year so far!!
nano bots are cool
I love science, I’ve learned so many new things. And the tiny robot is AMAZING, honestly it pretty awesome how people can invent something that tiny, and it also can swim!
How is it possible to create a tiny robot that is even smaller than a single grain of salt? 🤏🏾🧂🤔
you need SUPER DUPER tiny parts i guess?
And machines with super perfect movement.
How is it possible that a robot can be smaller than a grain of salt???
This is so interesting to learn,I didn’t know they could be that small.
That is so cool!
How do batteries work?
hello happy new year
My day is going great
What kind of use case would those tiny robots come in handy?
Happy late new year!
hello from wyoming!
Hii from georgia! Saw your recent post about releasing more history lessons on conspiracy theories ! i’m excited and can’t wait.
Same. From Georgia and excited for the Conspiracy Theories course as well.
Hi im from georgia too!!
Hello from nc
Hello from TX
Heyyyyy
Love these lives!
We love Science live!
how does the robot move
That’s so cool
hi from california
How do people make robots so small and how can they still work?
How is your day going
hello from Texas
Woah that little robot is really cool
You know that could be used for spy tools, like if they put microphone and a camera, boom! There’s your spy Tool.
Although there could be a chance that people could step on it because of how slow and that small, but still.
About how many robots have ever been made in the world?
Robotics is so cool
Why are robots getting smaller?
How can a robot be that tiny!
hello from Nebraska
I love science lives
Hi from Montana! Hope everyone had a good Christmas and new year!
Hello from Missouri!
hello from MO!!
Hello from arkansas
Little bot doin’ big things!
hello from. Mississppi it was hot enough to swim today
Hello from Texas
that is so cool!
how does the micro robot move ?????????????????
hello from IDAHO i love science live and i love pajets contagesly happy energy keep it up
Hello from Wake Forest, NC! Robots are definitely part of our future!
how does something that small even be programed?
I saw the story about the microchip on the Montana News!
It probably took them a long time to figure out how to make stuff that can tell you about when the tornadoes will hit
Happy New Year!!
Hi!
hello from Marlin
wow i didnt even know computer chips could be that small! science live is so cool
I love these science lives
Hi from TX
Hope everyone had a great New Year
Good evening from Virginia!
When was this tiny robot first made?
Similar as to computers and phones shrinking, robots are following in succession.
Hi from Massachusetts
smaller than a grain of salt??? Thats amazing
I love science live!!
Wow
How long does it take them to make the world‘s smallest robot?
The small robot reminds me of the magic school bus books.
Books also can give us insight on our writing.
hello from Illionis how did they make it that small?
Hello, from Nebraska!! ~\(≧▽≦)/~
Hello from MD
Hello from Delaware.
That is so amazing! How do they work on something so small. What type of things doe it do? What is it used for?
thats a small robot, were getting closer to metal gear rising every day
Hello from Denver, North Carolina!!
Hello from Massachusetts!That tiny robot is insane! How advanced will robots like that become?
Okay, that is genuinely insane that the robot looks that small, it might accidentally get crushed because of that size. Still impressive though!
I rushed to watch it and I was SOOOOO happy to see its still going on:) 😉
oh wow thats such a small robot! crazy how much power it has.
wow that is a small robot
That robot reminds me of the movie Spy Kids
so they made a fully fucnctional microbot?
Hello from wv
Hello from Montana!
Hey! From Arkansas!
Hi from Illinois
Wow! That’s incredibly small! What could it be used for?
HELLO from Tennesee!
Happy new year!!
Hi Isabella HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow! That robot is really tiny!
Happy New Year! I hope you had amazing holidays!
Ayo! From Idaho!
how do they make robots so small and make them smarter at the same time
Good evening and happy new year from Mississippi!!
How would you measure the small robot?
hi from ky
That hydrogen powered drone sounds like an amazing idea for tornados!!
here from Alabama school is cool
HELLOO happy new yearsss!!
Hello from Nevada
I am building a robot too.
Helloooo from ncccc !!! I love science !!!
What happens if you breathe in a tiny robot?
How amazing that a robot is so small and can swim!
hello from saudi