Vacuum Tube Amplifier
January 14, 2026 • EPISODE 293
📌 Science Fair Idea – R-51 Radio
What’s a vacuum tube amplifier? Come explore with Dr. Roger Billings on Science LIVE! Learn about the technology that made it possible to boost electrical signals and amplify sound. Discover how vacuum tubes control electron flow, why they powered early radios, audio systems, and computers, and how they shaped modern electronics. And get ready for something super exciting: carbon nanotubes – super-strong, lightweight materials that might one day help build a space elevator, opening new ways to reach space!
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 »
Hi from Georgia, I love learning about computers, the are really cool.
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I have that battery problem with my devices.
Me like live
How much storage can the biggest flash drive hold?
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I think it is cool that the first person to make a USB hold that much data.
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This is a pretty interesting episode!
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I thought the USB came out in the 1980s.
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Noah here.
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Can a CD hold multiple things at a time
What is the largest USB stick that was ever made?
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I always love learning about new things every week! Looking forward to the next one
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I bet it was hard to make to make it that strong. Is carbon the strongest thing since it can’t break easily. I did not know that a Dimond had carbon. Is the cathode a positive and the anode a negative.
How long would it take to get into space on a carbon nano tube cable?
hello from north carolina
How small can a usb be before it’s pretty much useless?
Happy Wendsday! I hope you had a nice week so far.
Here from New York!
The flash drive changed technology forever.
I enjoyed Dr. Tobias’ section where he talked about the invention of the USB Flash Drive.
What was floppy about the floppy disc?
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That’s what my Mommy says, to fill our mind with the good stuff!
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Super excited for this one! I always wondered about Flash drives
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I’m from TN too!
are David and Caleb going to be on science live?
love this!
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Glad we are learning about computers
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Any news on Operation Deep Hole?
Thank you Dr Roger Billings for another great science live
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Honestly that’s so cool. My mama uses a flash drive all the time, I’m going to tell her what I learned
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Here from NorCal!
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Honestly found most of this interesting.
Hope you all have a good evening!
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If nanotubes were in space (metaphorically) could they still work? Even though there’s no gravity?
What does USB stand for?
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these are fun to listen to
Good evening, classmates.
did a Flash drive get its name because of flash memory being easily removable just like a USB stick?
Hello from Wyoming!
I appreciate learning the history behind flash drives/usb drives.
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Love the lives watching from texas!
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Hello from New Jersey!!
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Thumb drives????
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thats cool how 0101 connect a systems
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I think its cool to learn about how storage became and how the storage was filled
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Hello From NC.
what year did they invent the hard drive
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It’s crazy to see how technology has evolved!!
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hiii
Hello from Georgia
I would love to learn about the history of computers in a computer science class.
If you need an oven to make a carbon nano tube then how do they form naturally?
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what do you use to keep your storage if the cells didn’t work and even if it did work how does it charge it self
Very cool
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Great live!
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Can you imagine working so hard and lose all the data?
How long does flash memory take to wipe memory
😮😮 Amazing! 😮😮
hello from tn
interesting!
what is the biggest a storage can get?
I have worked with computers with my dad.
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I’ve always wondered how computers can process thousands of things all at once. I know that their cpu’s are build that way, but I wonder how a cpu works and runs.
Area 51 is my favorite part of all of the science live
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So glad I could be here today.
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I honestly learned a lot from science live
Computers are super interesting because of their “language” of yes and no
Hello Christopher here from Georgia and here watch science away and see what’s amazing
I like the story of the name of the flash and how quickly it erases things. Hello from TN!
Hello from Hawaii!
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I wonder what the biggest container of storage is.
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Happy to be here! Very excited.
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Hahaha my mom still has floppy disks.
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I love learning about computers!!