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 »
This science live was very interesting!
What an interesting science live.
i learned how the made the amplifire and how it started it is truly amasing
I used to love doing the cup phone trick when I was younger!
I really liked learning about carbon nano tubes. I think i would be really cool if we could make a space elevator.
I like the vacuum tube amplifier
Dov Moran is very interesting!
That tube looks like an dna strand
I love learning about technology with Tobias!
I love science!! i find the hydrogen car very cool!!
This video was great I loved it so much
I like what Tobias said about how our brains can hold more information than a flash drive.
This science live was so good!!
Science fair sounds like fun. I hope I get to go someday!
With the science fair, can it be art related if its still an invention?
I think that hydrogen cars are a great idea
I love this program.
enjoyed learning about carbon nanotubes that dr John talked about
r51 = funny.
Great science live this week!
I like the part about honesty.
Where is the science fair located?
the science fair seems so fun
it is not in a physical place but more a online thing you submit a project online.
In Missouri
Thank you Dr. Roger Billings for doing these amazing science lives.
Hydrogen cars sound so amazing!
Yay I love science live 🙌😀
Nano tubes sound really cool, I’d really like to learn more.
Tobias is my favorite!
That is such a cool and interesting story on how the flash memory was made!
Science live is cool!
Yess science Live is back!
I love science live, R51 is sooo funny!
I <3 SCIENCE LIVE
I love science live!!! :3
Liked learning about nano tubes.
Science live helps everybody learn something new and that’s something I appreciate! Thank you guys for helping everyone understand things better!
Your videos inspire me!
Science Live is amazing.
Science live is so cool!
Science live is awesome!
I’m from Texas and I love Science Live.
This is soooooo cool! Amazing video!
Another great episode. I really enjoy watching these each week!
R51 is my favorite part of science live.
omg same for me!
When do they think we can make the tube that goes to space?
it would be great if this would make batteries last even longer!
First, we talked about Dov Moran. He was from Israel and he had a presentation in New York. However, his computer wouldn’t turn on for like, five minutes! This created the thought that he needed a backup, for that small incident could have wiped everything away! So, he made the idea for a file that was electronic that you could carry around easily. This led to the creation of the flash memory.
Next we talked about Acellus World. It is coming up in the spring where you can have a lot of fun! You can also see some of the graduates of this year, including two kids from Guam. They do Olympic Weight Lifting together and love the Social Emotional Learning course. Kudos to them for being so hardworking.
Finally, R-51 tried to use a vacuum tube. He thought you needed to put one in a actual vacuum. He thought there was too much tech in the world to be still using radio waves so he literally conducted a plan. He made two cups attached by a string and said he invented it. Poor R-51 not knowing it was already invented.
Interesting topic. I always love learning new things!
YEAHHHH! SCIENCEEE!
I love science!
I love science
I love SCIENCE! to
THIS WAS GREAT
I love how much I learn during science live!
how do volcanos erupt
If a volcano builds up pressure, and it can’t hold it in anymore, (because of blocked vents or too much pressure) it forces the lava to shoot out through the only hole in the volcano–the crater. Thus, resulting in the volcano exploding.
I think that’s correct. Its a more simplified explanation. You can ask your parents to help you look up how volcanos erupt on the internet. Look for a website that ends in “.org” or “.edu”. Those will be the most fact-based websites.
I’m going to make a cup radio for my house!
I love Acellus
I ❤ science live!
Hi 👋😁 I LOVE ❤️ SCIENCE LIVE!
Thank you for all the knowledge & support you give us Dr. Billings.
Thank you Dr. Billings, i hope you know that you make Acellus Academy a dream come true, for kids like us who find it hard to be able to be in a school and try to learn and grow our education and our ability to become smarter and more evolved in this this would I’m 💯% sure I speak for everyone who is learning from and enjoys Acellus Academy that we all truly Appreciate everything you guys do for us as your students!!!
I agree with you I think we should all get 100 for our grads
Absolutely agreed!
We love the variety of classes we can choose from.
I’ve never been to public school, and quite honestly, I have no interest in going.
I have ADHD, so I have a hard time sitting still and paying attention. I don’t know how ANYONE survives public school.
But, either way, I agree with you Bailey!
Love,
River
YA I LOVE R 51 HES SO FUNNY
I loved hearing about the science fair.
Science fairs are cool. I’ve done that cup and string thing before to talk to my mom.
Coming from OK!! I love this!
I really loved learning about vacuum tubes, and I didn’t know Dr billings graduated that year!
Hello everyone! Hope y’all had a good weekend!😊😁😊
Thank you lady paja and Dr Rodgers Bilings
I love watching R-51 on Science Live! He is so funny!
Science live is the best!!!!!
Tobias is the funniest dude ever
I love watching these!
This was great hello from TX!!
I ❤️Science Live
I love Science!
The way the name was created for “flash memory” is really funny! Someone said “flash” and they put two and two together!
I love Science Live! I thought it was interesting about the nitric oxide.
Science live is so fun to watch!
Hello from NC! This science live was very interesting!!
R51 and is super radio idea is so cute and funny. I like R51
I think the fact that we can use carbon nano tubing for space elevators is pretty cool! 🤯🥹
ME TO !!!!!!!
How many prototypes to the flash drive did he make?
Carbon nano tubes in batteries would be great for longer lasting and stronger batteries. Dov Moran pulling together different tech and making the flash drive was a great idea and has come a long way since 8 MB. Science fair sounds like a great idea. Agree science is the seek for knowledge
I love the way about how Caleb explained about how sound amplifies so that many more people can hear.
R51 R51 R51
i loved the cup things lol
We have to have honesty in science!
I did not know diamonds are made of carbon, i do know that some swords use carbon steel.
I would like to be a space elevator one day.
I always feel so smart after watching science live.
This is the best science class
Fast like a flash ! So cool!
Science Live is amazing!
Thank you Dr. Rogers.
This episode was great! I love learning everything that the Science Live and Acellus crew have to teach. Dr. Billing is always inspiring me and I just love tuning in every week!
I ADORE SCIENCE LIVES 💗💗
How strong is the carbon nano tube?
yay! science live! science live is the best!
I feel this episode was very informative. I learned who made the flashdrive and how it was made. Tobias also made the binary system very understanding because I lerned about the binary system but didn’t really understand it, but now that Tobias went deeper and explained it I understand it way better. Thank you science live!
l love hearing about how inventions came to be. I have never participated in a science fair but would love to, if I could figure out what to do.
Science live is the best!
R-51 is the funniest =P
This is my first Science Live and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Glad to be here!
Hi from Tennessee! Thank you for the video!
Thank you so much again for another great show! Yay R-51!
It would be super cool if we had a space elevator!
I would like to see more success stories like the one accepted to the Olympics.
Can science apply to everything?
That was amazing that you won the Science Fair! Also, that it helped you get your first job and become successful.
I learned amplifiers make things louder.
The pictures and the cups were so cute.
I’m so happy for science live and I can’t wait to see more! And I’m excited to see more of R-51
Science Live is so awesome to watch.😁👌
always a great day to watch Science live
How can you grow a carbon nanotube? Im from Mississippi
Tobias is really funny; I always enjoy his part
Science Live is great!
I want to try a cup phone!
A space elevator sounds really cool!
Roger Billings is so amazing thank you
Maybe you should give R-51 a radio to study. He needs it! He will probably use it to talk to 1 billion Paje Monets though… Loved the episode!
Amazing science live today very interesting
How strong can a carbon bond be?
We love this curriculum!
Looking forward to the next Science Live!
I love Acellus!!!
Thank you so much for another amazing Science Live
Thank you, Dr. Roger Billings, for this inspiring live session. The Acellus method truly helps students build strong foundations and confidence in learning.
I love learning something new each week
Dr. Roger Billings info of the engine was fascinating! Dr. Tobias Breakthrough topic was cool because in Singapore, there was this company called TREK that made the world’s first Thumb drive!
My dad has a guitar amp that uses vacuum tubes. He says they are expensive to replace. I hope he doesn’t have to replace any.
Can a hydrogen generator, be solar powered to extract hydrogen?
Fun r-51 science live! 🙂
I love how Acellus provides science live! Such a great educational opportunity.
I love watching science live
I like R51″
I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee science live!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was interesting to learn about the development of flash memory, I didn’t know that storing data before this breakthrough was so unreliable.
I learn a lot of things in science live!
Science is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment imagine going up to space in a elevator it would really be so cool if I had to invent sunblock that’s better I would make that it doesn’t burn your eyes when it runs in them
Hi Im Majone and i love acellus. im from namibia
Loving science live, currently in Las Vegas ♡
I love you guys so much and I hope you have a good day
Science Live is so fun! I love to watch it!
I’ve actually begun to enjoy science more, thanks to Dr. Billings.
What I learned from today’s lesson is building upon existing creations. Like with the flash drive needing a way to connect to the computer, or the vacuum amplifier being a natural evolution from the radio.
Great episode! I learned a lot about how vacuum tube amplifiers work – thanks for sharing!
I learned that honesty in science is important and that perseverance leads to success.
I have to say Acellus is really and honestly the best school platform.
honesty is the only way!
Science live rocks. Dr. Roger billings was very honest about his invention and I agree that is a good thing.is the Acellus gold key a USB? Great job Dov Moran.
It is truly inspiring how despite Dr. Roger Billings first failed attempts at creating a pollution free engine he still had the honesty to say it wasn’t pollution free.
Yay! Science Live!
Hii from TN I love acellus academy and science live too
I love Science Live
Hello from Georgia! I learned about the binary system but didn’t really understand it. Tobias now made me understand it way better. I love science live!
r-51 is so funny with cup things!
Dr. John’s Technology spotlight was fascinating!
Found information very informative. The marvels of science are limitless.
I love all of Science Live , but the Breakthrough portion has to be my favorite because I love Science and History both and that gives me a chance to see them combined.
Science live is super cool!
hello from Tx! i love watching these videos, always looking for a new one to watch
I went to Texas like 3 weeks ago for a trip. I went to Fort Worth Texas!
So cool!! I love Science Live!
Acellus is hands down the best online platform
Helloooo! Im from Arkansas, and I love Acellus
I love acellus too I’m from Tennessee and I love the mountains
Science live is the best:)
How do you grow a carbon nanotube?
How strong are carbon bonds?
Can you make large amounts of carbon nanotubes at a time or are the portion sizes relatively small?
I love the idea of a space elevator it’s going to be awesome
I liked this! Hey from Oregon!
My family and I enjoy the segment where you highlight current and former students,
How do you explain the way that pick up amps work inside of a guitar, and the whammy bar distorting the sound??
Hello from Arizona!
Wow awesome episode! Loved learning about the nano tubes!
I love science live thanks so much for putting such effort into it.
favorite part of the week by far, amazing to watch
The science lives are so interesting because they show me the different ways technology and science as a whole have evolved.
Didn’t know they did the good ol’ cup ‘n string in area 51, loving Acellus
Thank you for believing in us dr billings
I play the bass. I loved learning about how amplifiers work!
I loved how Tobias was like ” OH THEY MADE A STATUE OF THE SAVE ICON! No. ” Not bragging, but idk how I instantly knew what it was brooo… also as a guitar player, amps are awesome and they are so versatile!
We love Acellus too
It would be cool to take a class from Tobias someday.
R51 you need more than a string and cup to call someone!
Acellus is by far the best online school.
I believe R51! He can do anything!
i love how 51 is he is something else
I liked the cups project.
I would like to do the science fair project with the cups.
WOW!!!!! I love science!
Learning how amplifiers work was really fascinating.
I enjoyed learning about the family that does Olympic weight lifting. Its really cool that they graduated through Acellus.