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 »

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6,176 Comments

  1. Levi

    Very cool!

    Reply
  2. Kylie

    Hello from Texas!

    Reply
    • Porter

      I am also from texas

      Reply
    • Sabrina

      And hello from Japan

      Reply
  3. Stran

    I like how they broke it all down

    Reply
  4. Sydnee

    It is good to know that science is the search for truth. I have never thought of it that way.

    Reply
  5. Kenna

    I love this!

    Reply
    • Melodi

      I love how they say everything in a way to help us all understand rather then keeping it confusing.

      Reply
  6. Paityn

    I 🩷 Science!

    Reply
  7. Raiden

    It’s interesting how impactful the science fair can be.

    Reply
  8. Anker

    Wow that was really interesting, it helped me so m much, thanks for the information!

    Reply
  9. Cadence

    Honesty is always the best policy.

    Reply
  10. Kaiden

    Hello from ND

    Reply
  11. Adele

    loved this Ep!

    Reply
    • Adaline

      I love science live

      Reply
  12. Tatum

    Always so interesting every episode

    Reply
  13. Logan

    Honesty is important

    Reply
  14. Adriana

    Thank you

    Reply
  15. Harpyr

    Love this episode!

    Reply
  16. Caleb

    Science Live is really interesting

    Reply
  17. Bennett

    Very cool she is a weightlifter!

    Reply
  18. Emry

    So cool! being honest is so important.

    Reply
  19. Michael

    I watched with my sister

    Reply
  20. Giselle

    Space Elevator? Low-key Crazy!!!!

    Reply
    • John

      Yeah it is crazy about the elavator

      Reply
  21. Clara

    That was interesting about the carbon nano tubes. I never heard of them before

    Reply
  22. Ayesha

    THIS WAS FUN

    Reply
  23. Audrey

    I like Morse code!

    Reply
  24. Eli

    Very cool

    Reply
  25. Jovan

    carbon nano tubs are so cool.

    Reply
  26. Brinley

    What are the primary functions of the cathode, anode, and grid in a vacuum tube amplifier circuit??

    Reply
  27. Myka

    Does fish breeding count as science?

    Reply
    • Allyson

      I think anything is science

      Reply
  28. Bridger

    Awesome Live

    Reply
  29. Luis

    hi i am new and i love it

    Reply
  30. Vasudev

    This is a great episode!

    Reply
  31. Jeremiah

    carbon nano tubes are exciting tech.

    Reply
  32. Samantha

    Acellus is the best learning curriculum fr

    Reply
  33. Miya

    My dad was in the army, the carbon nanotubes would have made his armor a lot lighter. There will be many uses for these tubes in the future.

    Reply
  34. Zander

    Honesty is big in our house!

    Reply
  35. Yamilet

    My mommy teaches me to be honest

    Reply
  36. Isabella

    I LOVE SCIENCE LIVEEE!!!!!!

    Reply
  37. Aliyah

    I didn’t know carbon nanotubes are that strong.

    Reply
  38. Emma

    It’s so interesting to see something take advantage of in daily life be such an incredible new invention.

    Reply
  39. Cheyenne

    my mom always taught me being honest gets you into less trouble than lying

    Reply
  40. Sawyer

    Love learning more new things!

    Reply
  41. Ann

    I love science live

    Reply
  42. Haley

    I learn new things every week, like how a Amplifer tube works!

    Reply
  43. Jax

    Carbon nano tubes are so cool!!

    Reply
  44. Blaze

    This was very unique.

    Reply
  45. Abidi

    i like how this science works

    Reply
  46. Luke

    This episode was very cool

    Reply
  47. Benjmin

    If the Armor is lighter hopefully it will still be strong

    Reply
  48. Liv

    This science live was pretty interesting!

    Reply
  49. Diego

    Nano tubes are really interesting, they are really tiny, but they can be very useful

    Reply
  50. Leila

    This was so interesting!

    Reply
  51. Catherine

    So cool!!

    Reply
  52. Nelly

    It’s hard to hold up many lies. There expensive and wastefull. U_U

    Reply
  53. Brayden

    Very fun episode to watch!

    Reply
  54. Gracie

    this episode was cool

    Reply
  55. Brianna

    honesty is the best policy! thank you so much for this live.

    Reply
  56. Brianna

    hello from Texas! this is so cool aswell.

    Reply
  57. Zoe

    this was a good episode, thank u

    Reply
  58. Hayden

    i loved this weeks lesson

    Reply
  59. Marty

    Honesty is always the best policy. Great episode

    Reply
    • Baylee

      This episode was amazing!

      Reply
  60. Samuel

    Crazy how this stuff works, thanks Dr. Billing.

    Reply
  61. Raaed

    This episode was very cool

    Reply
    • Avanah

      Thanks Dr. Billings! This was a great episode.

      Reply
  62. Luca

    Great Live!!!

    Reply
  63. Zane

    How did they make the vacuum machine so small?

    Reply
  64. Sophia

    Honesty is so important!

    Reply
    • Sutton

      This might be my favorite episode . (Also rewatching)

      Reply
  65. Zachery

    How the Usb Flash Drive was created is so interesting!

    Reply
  66. Kensleigh

    We love r. 51 he is so funny !

    Reply
  67. Lawrence

    Thank you Dr. Billings. I feel defeated at times with some of my work. Thank you for sharing for us to keep going.

    Reply
    • Giovanni

      very informative

      Reply
  68. Zaidee

    Hello from Minnesota

    Reply
  69. Alexandre

    Does any one still use usb in 2026?

    Reply
  70. Cadin

    I love this, keep going!

    Reply
  71. Taishi

    I find it fascinating about how carbon nano tubes can be used as a substitution for silicon in semi-conductors.

    Reply
  72. Ingrid

    How many Strands do you need to send them up to space?

    Reply
  73. Benjamin

    Science live is the best love what y’all do

    Reply
  74. Seraphina

    Great stuff!

    Reply
  75. Matt

    I love science live

    Reply
  76. Calliope

    This is so cool! Never knew how tube amps worked!

    Reply
  77. Lisa

    I love watching you guys

    Reply
  78. Rosalie

    What would the world look like now if AI never existed?

    Reply
  79. Alexis

    wow what a episode

    Reply
  80. Caleb

    That was a good video, and I’m glad that David and Caleb were both kept as proteges.

    Reply
  81. Lily

    I agree with honesty. It reminds me of the saying, “Honesty is the best policy”.

    Reply
  82. Rhys

    i think science live is the best

    Reply
  83. Christopher

    Honesty is the best policy

    Reply
  84. Jayden

    Science Live!!!

    Reply
  85. Aeriana

    This is amazing

    Reply
  86. Caroline

    What day is the science fair going to be on?

    Reply
  87. Zarek

    Vacuum tubes make sounds louder and help radios work!

    Reply
  88. Rylee

    i feel like being honest is a reay good thing to be a good individual, it helps creates bonds and relationships.

    Reply
  89. Rylee

    Honesty is key

    Reply
  90. Jackson

    R51 is very funny!!!

    Reply
  91. Christian

    I love science live

    Reply
  92. Hosea

    I love science live its so exciting .I can’t wait for the science fair.

    Reply
  93. Lillian

    R51 is hilarious

    Reply
  94. Levi

    Honesty is most definitely the best 😊

    Reply
  95. Harley

    Honesty is super important!

    Reply
  96. Gracelyn

    This is awesome!!

    Reply
  97. Cambria

    love r 51

    Reply
  98. Emma

    Science live was so cool ❤️‍🔥 today

    Reply
  99. Kimito

    Honesty is key in life!

    Reply
  100. Leah

    I liked learning about the Carbon Nanotube

    Reply
  101. Leah

    I liked learning about the carbon nano tubes

    Reply
  102. Justin

    Thought of going out in space is not appealing to me at all, however learning how a person could go into space without using a rocket by vacuum tube amplifier is very interesting to me

    Reply
  103. Julia

    I love tuning in every Wednesday. I love learning new information.

    Reply
  104. Harper

    R51 is so funny.Thank you acellus!

    Reply
  105. Elsie

    This is so interesting. Loved this week’s episode

    Reply
  106. Abigail

    Science live!!

    Reply
  107. Grant

    Great Episode!!

    Reply
  108. Gabriel

    this one was a fun one to watch

    Reply
  109. Ansley

    Interesting!

    Reply
  110. Sophie

    love this science live video!

    Reply
  111. Nialona

    I love these lives !!

    Reply
  112. Tyla

    I like learning about science so many interesting topics and things to learn about. Coming up with new ideas really takes a lot of thinking and research but nothing is impossible.

    Reply
  113. Alma

    This one might be my favorite!!!!!

    Reply
  114. Elizabeth

    Science live is cool

    Reply
  115. Easton

    This was a great live!

    Reply
  116. Braxton

    Thank you!

    Reply
  117. Luna

    What are quantum computers?

    Reply
  118. Cassidy

    Honesty is the key. If your always honest life feels better.

    Reply
  119. Hayden

    R51 you invention is cool and facinating

    Reply
  120. Trevor

    Super cool .😎

    Reply
  121. Grayson

    I find everything you guys talk about very interesting

    Reply
  122. Leonardo

    This was cool learning about this stuff

    Reply
  123. Bre

    wow that’s cool!

    Reply
  124. Micah

    Honesty for sure

    Reply
  125. Julianna

    This was a fun video

    Reply
  126. Levi

    I don’t know if the cup phone would really work.

    Reply
  127. Levi

    Technology has come such a long way over the years.

    Reply
  128. Phuwasit

    Thank you another amazing episode

    Reply
  129. Chloe

    very interesting

    Reply
  130. Riley

    when is the science fair

    Reply
  131. Aiden

    I Agree that honesty is something that everyone should share! what an inspiring episode!

    Reply
  132. Brooklyn

    Love this live!

    Reply
  133. Volkan

    this episode was amazing

    Reply
  134. Noah

    How long would it take for the carbon nanotubes to be manufactured well and quickly enough to be used in the transistors, and how much of a preformance boost does it actually give. Would it be economically viable for the everyday person?

    Reply
  135. Samirah

    I really enjoyed this Live!❤️🫶🏻💕

    Reply
  136. Lenore

    I really like the new segment that explained the vacuum tube amplifier.

    Reply
  137. Arsenii

    WOW COOL I LOVE THIS TYPE OF VIDS

    Reply
  138. Jada

    This is definitely my favorite science live!

    Reply
  139. Cadence

    Honesty is key in everything

    Reply
  140. Matthea

    its always nice for a reminder that you should always try your hardest to keep on going

    Reply
  141. Mia

    I loved this episode!

    Reply
  142. Sophie

    I love science live!

    Reply
  143. Annalise

    The Vacuum Tube Amplifier was a great Live! So cool to know technology played a part in amplifying sound!

    Reply
  144. Carrington

    Cool stuff!

    Reply
  145. Elliot

    Nice!

    Reply
  146. Evan

    I love these videos please keep putting them out!!

    Reply
  147. Emma

    Everyone should be honest especially to their parents. Keep thriving keep going even if it’s hard! Thank you so much Mr Roger Billing’s and lady pajet Monet!

    Reply
  148. Dylan

    .I love science live

    Reply
  149. Tressa

    Tobias is my favorite!! love all the cool things he teaches!

    Reply
  150. Jesus

    Never giving up is important if something fails keep trying.

    Reply
  151. Anne

    Great Video

    Reply
  152. Madisun

    Each live is so cool

    Reply
  153. Justin

    thank you for the live!

    Reply
  154. Autumn

    Honesty is always a great quality to have

    Reply
  155. Matthew

    The comments are not working for me today. This was a good video this week.

    Reply
  156. Matthew

    I always enjoy Science Live!!!

    Reply
  157. Aria

    Honesty is very important.

    Reply
  158. Tejan

    Love this so much!!

    Reply
  159. Miles

    This is so fun

    Reply
  160. Briella

    Thank you for this class

    Reply
  161. Faith

    Wow the more you know !

    Reply
  162. Lyla

    Sound and electricity seem to be linked

    Reply
  163. Jacob

    Thank you.

    Reply
  164. Forever

    I love the Science Fair

    Reply
  165. Michael

    I liked how you fixed the pollution in the hydrogen car problem

    Reply
  166. Bilal

    USB flash storage is very important. Very educational live.

    Reply
  167. Ian

    Thank you for the episode!

    Reply
  168. Graisen

    Hi from MT

    Reply
  169. Noah

    great episode, thanks!

    Reply
  170. Payson

    Learning about amplifiers is cool!

    Reply
  171. Ava

    so cool!!

    Reply
  172. Gavin

    It was neat how at first storing information would delete itself if it didn’t have power.

    Reply
  173. Nour

    Yes! Honesty is the best policy!

    Reply
  174. Charli

    this is my first video to watch, it was so amazing!

    Reply
  175. Jackson

    it was very intresting to learn how the usb flashdrive came around

    Reply

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