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 »



Can you use an amplifier on a violin??
Do you happen to have an acting class? That would be very cool if you did… I’m pursuing to become an actor and I feel that it would help me build a good background along with the things I do outside of just schoolwork.
Honestly-Science Live is so cool 😊
Honesty is a wonderfull thing to talk about! Thank you so much for teaching me about this!
. Great segment on the vacuum tube diode .
I always love these science lives
Honesty is so so important and should be within everyone!
love from TN!
Very interesting about the USB flash storage, now I know who invented it.
I think that the bit about the flash drive was pretty cool, and I had no idea that a vacuum could be so cool.
Wonderful live, great job guys! I had no idea what an amplifier was before this!
Honesty is the quality of being sincere and fair.
honesty is great!
I love science live!!!!!!!!!!!!
carbon nanotubes are very interesting
My favorite part of the science live has to be with Dr. Tobias he always makes it fun, and relaxing.
That was really cool about the Flash Drive!:) Thanks Dr. Billings and Lady Pajet Monet!
Awesome!
This live was really great
Thank you
I find it’s cool that the carbon atoms can be so small!
i love science liveee
I really enjoyed watching that
I love this !! Honesty is the best policy !!
Me and my sister really loved the ending of this video!! Thank you for teaching us more about science each week 🙂
Where did Dr. Billings go to school and college?
This is so cool!
I’ve been to Dallas too! very cool place.
I’m glad that I can watch the older episodes. Since I have been really busy the past couple weeks.
This video was very interesting i liked learning about vacuum tubes
I loved the part at the end with the students! I liked the video a lot, it was really good. Looking forward to the next one! 🙂
i liked the end and learning new things
Would that mean with a vacuum tube amplifier you could seperate one large power source and separate it into powering different electrical systems?
I loved hearing from the graduates at the beginning!
Hi form Ohio
The Carbon nanotubes are really interesting! The fact that its made out of graphite is shocking and how we were able to make carbon nanotubes.
I enjoyed this video a lot thank you
Very nice video can’t wait for the next one!
Signing in from Oklahoma City! Getting ready for the snow storm!
Honesty is really important!
Checking in from North Carolina! :3
Ready for a new live show! – Salem
Honesty is very important and I really like these videos I am learning so many things I never knew about.
Thank you guys for all the hard work you put into this video each week and thanks for the great schooling program it’s so well put together 😁
This was an amazing live!
Hi from Texas, I love learning new things abot technology almost every live! theyre so entertaining
That is kinda interesting to learn about when you started on the hydrogen car!
Hey from Tennessee! Science is cool!
hello from ga
Honesty is so important!
Thank you for the video!
Hi from Texas.
i loved learning how the transformation of information has changed
i learned alot !
GREAT JOB!!
I love how small the carbon atoms are, they’re kinda cute 🙂
This is a great live honesty is very important
Hi from Texas love these lives!
Honesty is very valuable!
Great episode!!! I’ve really been enjoying David and Caleb!!
all week i just wait to see what is new this week, I love it
Acellus is the best!
What good information
This was great!
This episonde is fire
i love science
thanks for the video
Being an honest is one of the best traits to have.
honesty is a great thing
I love honesty so much and I love the live streams
Honesty is always a necessary trait to have to get by in life, lies only get you into further trouble.
Live was great, carbon tubes are very interesting.
loved the live!
Loved this episode today!
Honesty is the best policy
I find the Vaccum Tube Triode quite interesting, transistors used in many common computers use the eddison effect. Cool!
never knew about the usb drives, its interesting
It was nice to learn about how the USB flash storage came about.
Thank you Dr. Billings for teaching us such interesting things!
Honesty is probably one of the most important things. Great live.
I love Science Live so much!!!
I’m so excited for science live my favorite class is science!
Honestly this is a great live with a great observation.
I never knew lightning actually heated up the air. I thought it was just a very powerful energy source, not that it generated heat too.
Id say that honesty is one of the important things we can have.
Interesting! Love it!
amazing live!
I’m glad they are honest!!
I love you science!
Hi my name is Jazae , this is my third time getting on acellus. I love this school so much, and I also love the lives.
This was great!
I love science.
this is really important knowledge
Hello everyone from Mississippi
Honesty is a main component to making us as a civilization function, its the nucleus in overall social communication. Great Live.
Honesty is one of the most important things a person needs.
I might have to buy a AMP now for a future guitar I might get
Honesty is so important!
Honesty is one of the most important traits about someone! Love you all!
Great live!
hello from Mississippi Cant wait to watch the video
Great video. Thank you
I love watching science live
Hi from Vietnam. I love this topic
i love science live!
hi from wisconsin
Love the video!
Honestly is a great thing to have I give everyone I talk to kindness and honesty
It was so nice to learn about Vacuum Tube Amplifier.It was great.
I really liked learning about the battery’s I’ve always wondered how they work.
Honesty is a very important characteristic to have!
Please talk about math
this episode was very fun!! honesty is very important
Loved the science live this week thank you!!
Honestly, this episode was amazing!
I didn’t know you could be enrolled in Acellus Academy and live in a different country. I enjoyed learning about the Lujan family coming all the way from Guam for the commencement ceremony.
Honesty is important
I liked learning about the carbon nanotube.
Keep going even when it’s hard!
It’s interesting that the carbon nanotubes are over a millionth of a meter, and it looks like it’s pretty tall. However, the size from what I can imagine seems to be really teeny tiny. The size is microscopic that we won’t be able to see them.
i liked the body armor part
This was interesting live. I can’t wait for next week
we love every episode
I am amazed at the Video content every week, love the Honesty portion and learning how USB drives came about as well. Great video!
I love these lives. I feel like these are so important.
Love from North Carolina!
When you heat air, some nitrogen and oxygen join together and create hydric oxide.
This live was amazing.
happy wednesday everyone:)
this would help a lot but could it be used for something else?
The fact that something like a drive could be important even now days. He is a my hero.
This was interesting to learn about the USB flash storage!! thank you for this live!
I love Science Live!
Honesty is the best policy.
Another good week of Acellus.
Once you learn to abide by honesty, you’ll notice some great changes in life
It was interesting to learn about how USB flash storage came about.
I liked when they talked about Dov Moran
Honesty is probably one of the most important things. Great live.
I love science lives!!!
Thank you that was very interesting.
Everyone should be honest!
hello from missouri! i love science live and learning
As they say! honesty is the best policy!
Thank you for all the good lessons in science live
Honesty is such an important trait and I loved learning about it from you guys.
Wow this video was very interesting and educational
Great video. We talked about these in chemistry when we we were studying the electron.
its gonna great being able to have safer batteries and lighter kevlar
i love science live, always amazes me
Honesty, is in my opinion one of the most valuable traits.
Agreed honesty is very important and I live by it. Aamzing live!
I love how they go into to depth about how the vacuums tube controls the electron flow and how early radios worked and shaped modern technology and radios
love the video! learned a lot
I love science live it’s the best lesson of Acellus
What time does science live start?
These lives are always so educational and entertaining its great!
This episode was amazing!
I cant wait to see the science fair projects
Thank you!
Honesty really shapes a persons character!!
I love science live
Got to love science live!
Thank you for making all of these super interesting and amazing videos, I really enjoy watching all of your videos and learning every single week. Your videos inspire me and make me motivated to do great things!
a really great live!
I love science live! and I agree!
So cool!
Honesty is so important!
Fantastic Live
Honesty should be within everyone!
The scientific method can be used for everything
I think it is amazing that the Carbon atoms will grow. I like how they can use this to make stronger material but also lighter and smaller material. I think this will help us with space travel.
Love R51!
This was a great live!
I love science live!
Japan is an interesting and unique country!! Very futuristic and smart. It’s a great accomplishment of theirs that they found that important bacteria!