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! Watching from Texas!!
Hi! From Virginia.
hello from illinois
Hello! Checking in from Kansas. Excited for Tobias and dr John this week!
This is awesome
Hello from Texas im so glad to be back for another science life
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hi from texas
This is very interesting. Glad to be able to watch!
I’m leigha from Indiana!!!
I’ve always wondered about how Kevlar worked
Hello! From Texas
How fast can cars move?
how long will it take for quantum computing to become widely used?
That would be so cool to help make the cars drive longer without stopping.
What is a carbon nano tube?
that is cool
I am ready to learn new things on the Science live.
Hi From ALABAMA Roll Tide
If so what other things can be used to make a battery for other things that need objects?
That’s cool!!
AMAZINGGG!!!
its awesome how far technology has gone!
I need that for my phone! My phone loses battery so easily.
How many carbon nanotubes do you think it would take to replace all of the batteries in the world?
I wish my phone’s battery would last longer.
hi from Arizona
Hi from Texas!
Hi from texas
wow!!! cool!!
That’s crazy how hot it has to be for it to be made. That’s cool how they might try to use it in armor and how many things its used for.
thats cool.
Hi from Chicago!
This is so interesting. Thank you for always having these lives on!!
How many of the batteries would it take to power NY for a day?
HII from texasssss
Hi from Tennessee!
nice
Thank you for this presentation.
Hello from Texas
Why does my phone lose battery when its turned off
Hi, wow how cool！
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hi from california
Yay! Science Night Live! Good evening!
How similar are carbon nanotubes to carbon fiber?
Hi from Michigan!
What are some of the uses of carbon nanotubes??
this is cool!
Hello from mo. Happy to be here
I really enjoy learning so many new things from this
Hi everyone!
Same I love science live
Sorry I am late thank you for doing these videos
This really makes sense and gives me a better understanding of things thank you!!
I agree honesty is the best policy!
What’s the most amount of cells a battery can have or is there no study showing there is a point they can’t have
Watching from Missouri Hi
hello
Heyyyy from Nebraska
That is good news to see the use of energy last longer to help electronics today.
hi
Ready to learn from TX
Hello! Watching the live from Wisconsin! I’m ready to hear about new updates within the science community!
A space elevator?! That is crazy. That sounds scary. Will they go in with a protective space suit? Or will there be oxygen in there ? What a crazy thought.
Nice im also from Texas
We are from Texas too
Hello from Pa
Hello!!
Hi Daniel!👋
thats awesome
That’s cool.
Hi from Sc!and happy Wednesday!!
is it true that there is a diagram of one cell of a battery?
Hi from Georgia!
I’m Georgia tooo!!!🤩🥳
Hello from Virginia
Hi
hi everyone
this is amazing
The carbon nanotube looks interesting. They look like they’re little hairs that are really long when you look through a microscope at it. Thanks for sharing
hiii 😃
How does the carbon fiber act when it is struck?
It is always important to be honest in science that is so true
So amazing!
I love science lives
Helloooo from LA!
hello.
Cool!
Watching from Charlotte
hello from NC!
hey
Hii from TN!!
I love the part about the cube.
This is awesome!
hiii
Love it.
Can these carbon nano tubes can be used as a material for cloth like shirts, sweaters, etc.,?
Hi from Kentucky
From Nevada- Lovely to see you guys again ♡
Happy to be here
hello from S.C
hello from GA!!!
hello from missouri
Hi we are new here.
hello how is your day going
Hello
Hello from Texas !
hi from florida
interesting
Hello from Texas!
greetings from oklahoma
Cool.
What do the battery looks like?
That’s very cool!
I love science live
RIVER FROM AUSTINNN
Excited for the live today!
❤️ I love science live! ❤️
So cool!
Cool live!
science live is so cool
hello from arizona
What are quantum computers?
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hello from TX
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why wasnt the carbon nanotube discovered earlier
hi from idaho exited for tobiahs
That’s awesome
HELLO FROM VIRGINIA I LOVE WATCHING THESE LIVES
How long have they been using the methed to make carbon nanotubes?
Angelina from Miami, Fl.
It’s so beautiful Acellus offers the opportunity to study online.
Hello from NC!
This is interesting. I have never heard about this.
Hello from montana
I didn’t even think lithium ion batteries could be enhanced, great info!
I wonder if they can use the tubes in parts of cars.
how strong is the carbon nano tubes
Is it possible to use these in medicine?
I think studying nature can help with inventions
Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday!!
Making armor lighter is a amazing idea!
a millionth of millimeter I can barely imagine that
My favorite time of the week !!! So cool
Love R51
I love science , from Nebraska
Could The Carbon Nanotubes Allow For A Working Quantum Computer Within The Next 30 Years?
Carbon-nano tubes can genuinely improve society in such different ways. I do wonder how long it will take till I see real life examples in use
I didn’t know sunscreen hurt the environment.
It’s so interesting how there can be multiple inventions and ways to do stuff, carbon nanotubes seem so interesting!
how many times do you half to miss the science lives until you don’t get the scolarship.
Hi im from new york
Cool I did not know about carbon nanotubes
Is it expensive to make carbon nano tubes?
Hi from NC.
What is quantum computing
how to do you find the motivation to do what you do?
When was the first discovery of these applications found?
cool!
I like the condocder
What are carbon mono tubes
How similar are carbon nanotubes to carbon fiber?
Hello from MT
How long does it take to make the carbon nano tubes?
i love acellus!
Carbon nano tubes look like grass in the microscope.
I didn’t know diamonds were made of carbon, that is so fascinating.
Hello from Nevada
Thats very cool
this is a really interesting sianc live
With respect to nanotubes, how is the container containing the carbon-rich gas maintained constantly at a high temperature of 700 degree Celsius, as shown in the picture?
Hi from Texas.
Hello from Arizona
hello from NYC🗽
hi from WA
Making a tennis racket out of that sounds very convenient.
Would they still use bulletproof plates in the bullproof vests
Hi from Texas!!!
Hi! I wanted to let you guys know that the Acellus app is not working, so I had to come on the Science Live website.
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Hello From Newnan, GA!!
Where do you guys do these lives at????
Hello from canada!
wow thats cool!