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 »
r-51 I thought I created direct hardwire connection when I was like 7 years old. However, I can say, I never had multiple connections like you did (Hahaha). GENIUS!!!
Dr. John’s segment never disappoints me. I like how he talked about graphene a little bit.
Every week you have the most interesting videos. I love watching science live.
Where is the science fair held?
I learn something new every week thanks to science live ❤️
Thanks for the program! It was pretty interesting. My mom said she used to do science fairs every year when she was in school.
Its so cool that just a little piece of technology can hold so much information.
Great example of honesty is the policy. You are an inspiration.
I love this because i have somthing to watch and learn that is always fun.
I love r51
Love looking forward to these every week!
good job protoge’s
The cup phones were pretty cool.
I love this Series!!!!!!!
i liked this video whish we could use a cable through space. instead of rockets that would be kool to watch.
Dr Jon- how would they assemble carbon nanotubes to make Kevlar. Can they be woven like thread?
I really liked this episode. I like learning about technology and all the new things I didn’t know before watching. Have a great night!
I always love how refreshing science live is!
These science lives never fail to make me interested. this was such a great video, and i love how they bring other family’s in and have students encourage other students.
thanks again to Mr. Tobias for the interesting facts!
I learn so much every week, I really appreciate the effort that you put into each episode, it is very obvious it is a labor of love!
it was really cool to hear about Dr Billings experience with his science fair!
It’s amazing how there are many international Acellus Academy students. Also, the new Science Fair award is great! Thank you for making this Science Live this week.
The science fair looks sooo funnnn!!!! Great episode!!!
that is so cool I never knew how we made flash drives
I miss the Ventioneer’s Club, but I really like seeing David and Caleb being Dr. Billings’ proteges. I learned about carbon nanotubes and how they can help us in outer space ventures. I also liked hearing Tobias talk about how USB memory was invented. We use USB everyday, so it was nice to learn how it was invented. I didn’t know that Roger Billings’ hydrogen car actually had pollution when he first came up with it. It was very honest of him to admit that it polluted with nitric oxide, instead of trying to cover it up.
technology spotlight is my favorite.
This was a very interesting episode. can’t wait for the next one!!! 🙂
I appreciate the importance of honesty Dr B expresses in science.
I always like tobias’s segment.
It’s very cool that you can get a string and two plastic cups to hear each other!
R51 is so funny!
I really enjoyed this video, it explained things in way that actually made sense. Looking forward to the next one!
I greatly enjoyed this episode! Have a fantastic day.
interesting seeing people from guam also using acellus !
Science is so fascinating. I love how you can find science in everything. The carbon nanotubes seem super cool as well.
Thank you for another great episode with the proteges. Great to hear about the successes of the Acellus graduates.
Thank you Dr. Billings!
science is sooooooo cool. I love to learn!
So cool that every problem has a solution, and sometimes and invention!
I love R51!
We have an old radio with vacuum tubes in it. Really cool to see them up close.
My dad showed me copies of the “floppy” disks, he used on his first computer. Pretty interesting.
Did Ford do anything with your discovery of having cleaner air after it running through the car?
DR.B, makes science so interesting. Science is all around you. The study that they are doing on Bacterial is phenomenal. This makes you to be more alert on bacterial.
I love science live! Dr. John’s segment is my favorite! I always love learning about cool tech!
Loved hearing Dr Billings tell about the Hydrogen car he built for Science Fair
Honesty is the best policy!
The last science fair project I did ended up getting a study by Nasa on the subject. I’m fairly sure it proved my hypothesis right though.
I think using a hydrogen car would be really cool
Hydrogen cars are so cool it is so fascinating that they run on hydrogen.
Fun fact: Some guitarist still prefer a tube type amplifier.
this was a really good episode
Would animation be allowed in the science fair?
Hydrogen cars are so cool that they run on hydrogen
I love the flash drive story! It was so cool!
EVERY TIME I WATCH I LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Science Live has so much interest in teaching the study of Science. The study of bacteria is phenomenal. This study is helping Science to find remedy of helping ultra rays.
That is very exciting that there is a new Roger Billings Medal in the science fair!
r-51 is so funny.
It will be interesting to see how carbon nano tubes will affect the battery life in tablets!
fav part of the week
Will the R-51 Super Radio going to be on the Acellus store?
This episode was absolutely amazing!
Is the R-51 Super Radio going to be on the Acellus store?
If we were able to make a carbon nanotube hundreds of miles long and build a space station at the top would this make space travel commercially viable?
I hope that I will be able to see hydrogen cars on the road soon!
Thank you for teaching uw about the vacuum tube amplifier!
Yes a scientist is always searching for the truth.
I love these science lives they are amazing!
I never thought to learn about carbon nanotubes, but here we are. Thank you Dr. Rodger Billings!
Science lives makes me want to learn more!
I love science live so much! I always learn something super cool
Great video, I’m always learning something new about science.
loved it cant wait till next week
Every time I learn something new on Science L!ve; I love it!
That’s interesting and I’m using the vacuum tube amplifier in my brain suck up all the information.
Another indubitably excellent episode. How wonderful!
It’s cool hearing what inspirations caused people to make things that are so commonly used nowadays. It’s always so interesting.
The science fair sounds really fun i would like to go some day.
What a wonderful episode.
love this weeks video!
This episode was so cool I learn something new everytime I wach. I would love to go in an hydrogen car, it would be so cool. My fav teacher is Mrs,Donnie.
Very cool!
It was cool learning about vacuum tubes! Great episode!
Science is so cool
This episode was so awesome!!!!
I loved learning about how Dr. Billings made a hydrogen engine.
I love watching this
THIS EPISODE WAS SO COOL
Loved learning about hydrogen cars in this episode.
Love how you guys always have something new for us! TEAM ACELLUS!!
I liked learning how the flash drive come to be a way to store and bring up your files anywhere. Using such a small device.
I love watching science live while I do my crafts. Today’s episode was very interesting!
First time watching
I love Acellus live!
I bet the science fair would be awesome to go to! So much to see and learn.
so cool!!!!!!
I loved the plastic cup phone! I learn something new everything I watch! Hi 👋😁 I LOVE ❤️ SCIENCE LIVE!
Can an amplifier be hooked up to all instruments?
Every single one of these videos teach me something and they’re super fun!!
Wow! This episode was awesome!
Lets get this started!
I had no idea there were so many uses for vacuum amplifiers.
ha i love science its always fun and funny when r 51 causes chaos
i enjoyed David and Caleb’s session
Hydrogen cars are so fascinating!
I really like that you didn’t give up when your first hydrogen engine had pollution as a you kept trying.
That amplifier guitar scene was hilarious! I absolutely adore Science Live. Thank you Lee de Forest, for the invention of the Audion vacuum tube!
I’m so glad you managed to finally get the hydrogen engine working in the end!
Space elevators sound so cool!
I had fun watching this!
so intresting love sciene live.
Great Lesson
Woah! that was interesting
Today’s lesson was fun, thank you.
Science live is so fun and I get to learn new things every episode
my parents said back in the early 2000s they used the USB flash drive and it was amazing for the time
I wish I could go to see you tape Science Live!
Thank you Dr Billing and Miss Moneo for teaching me something ever time I watch science live
Hi!! Great video, I really enjoyed listening in. The science fair sounds fun! I used to live in Kansas for four years, so I know how great it is there.
the science fair sounds FUNN!!
I love Science Live!
this was more exciting than all my other classes I enjoyed this.
The explanation on vacuum tubes was very informative.
Another awesome episode!
That was so interesting! I love learning new things!
I love science live so much thank you for the video even though Im late. I still love seeing your videos.
i liked the part about flash drives!
Hydrogen cars are so cool!
Science live is my favorite!
Dov Moran in 1998 made a speech in New York city but had a problem with his computor. So he started thinking of ways to store information on a disc. In the early 1980s the Japanese already had came up with the flash memory card. In 1999 he created the flash drive stick that would hook right to the USB port.
Do the plastic cup things really work?
Does R-51,s idea work?
I have a amplifier for my guitar
Thank you for taking the time out of ur day to make these videos for I could learn something new every week!!
Honesty is best
R-51 is so funny 😂
I want to go to the science fair, only problem is it’s probably somewhere in America. If I could though, I’d definitely use the R-51 Super Radio 😉.
The carbon nanotubes were also an interesting invention, can’t wait to see when they’re used in more places, like in computers and stuff.
I wanted to learn more about the hydrogen powered car. I was wondering if the mist took away the nitrous oxide? I found it really cool that you come up with this science experiment!
I liked the part where David is cheering on Caleb
Those batteries were very cool!
Is there a possibility of traversing to other universes?
Science Live is absolutely WONDERFUL! Thank you DR. Billings for hosting this program and every single person who has put any effort into making this program. I have come to realize that every time I watch this production I learn something new. Although, my personal favorite section of this show is Break Through Moments in Science with Tobias and that’s just because I’m a history geek! Isaiah 1:18 KJV. — Chistopher
A space elevator would be so cool!!!
Vacuum tube amplifiers are really interesting, they’re pretty simple but do something really cool!
I love to hear what Dr. Tobias always has to say.
I liked this science live episode.
so much fun
Does all code translate to binary code somehow?
I love batteries and power and electricity
Will the military use this material for some of their things?
Science live is AWESOME
signing in from Vermont!
That is a REALLY tiny tube!
It was great hearing about how amplifiers work.
The science fair looks so fun.
R51 with his cup phone is so silly!
How do I join the science fair?
So cool!!!!
Yay!
I love love loved this!!!!!!!!!
I liked the part about the invention of the flash drive. R51 is hilarious.
Hi from Nevada!!😁
Hearing stories about other students is very inspiring!
I will have to think about what my science project will be on. Great job r51 , I’m going to make a plastic cup &rope radio !
I am always so excited for the next Science Live!!
I liked the part about the inventing of a flash drive. And R51 is hilarious.
this was really fun to watch!
Thank you for the amazing new episode!
How does the sound travel in the rope to get to each cup ? I would love to go to the science fair. Where will it be held?
I loved the video!
Science live is so cool I learn something every episode.
10000% great 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Good video 👍
Great episode.