Vacuum Tube Computing
February 4, 2026 • EPISODE 296
How did computers go from filling entire rooms to fitting in your hand? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings and the Protégés explore vacuum tube computing and the technology that launched the digital age. Hear stories about early machines, the Billings Computer, and floppy disks as Dr. Billings shares his firsthand experiences helping shape modern computing.
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 »
is it true that the more transistors the micro processor has, the more powerful the computer?
Hallo I love acellus so much
hello from Portland tn
BTW The moon isn’t that that close. If you really think about it, it is still very far away.
Hey R51, come to West Virginia and help me shovel snow
Heyyyy, coming in from TN. This is cool!!!
Been enjoying the LIVE episode so far today!
i can’t wait for episode 300, i wonder what he’s going to do then. 4 more weeks to come!
Why does it take four days to get to the moon
because of the earth, we have to calculate the time we have on earth and most of the time space is endless making the subtraction.
hello from GA
The topic of the moon being brought up really interested me, I never knew it was THAT hard to get to the moon.
Comment i have been so excited for this all week!!!!<33333
This episode was great.
this is a fun live!
Why exactly is it called “Binary” is there a specific reason or did it just sound neat?
So how did the Billings PC operate?
its so interesting how all that stuff was made
Thank you Dr B
I looooove Acellus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s incredible how binary code has helped us throughout time and allowed computers to function properly. Hopefully technology can evolve to where we can find other amazing uses for it, especially in the healthcare field.
transistors began on cassette
coding is pretty cool. I learned that computers are a bunch of 0’s and 1’s that make up codes and turns them into numbers and words
This weeks live was so entertaining
This is so interesting; I love hearing about how much technology has progressed.
I enjoy the talked about the Data Center.
Hello from Illinois!
I can thank Binary for the all-important artillery targeting systems used in my games.
I wish I could come but I will watch the broadcast when it happens
Hello from new mexico
What I think is cool is that some of the the worlds most important inventions weren’t made in a lab.
What is a casset tape? Tell me i’m not the only one wondering that.
I love acellus live it gives us an amazing opportunity to have a shollarship.
your amazing dr Billings and pj
The science is so interesting.
r51r51r51rr51
The first ever computer used to weigh 30 ton and now today it weighs about a few ounces, it amazing how we have evolved from a 30 ton computer to a few ounces.🤯
That is crazy that we still use Vacume Tubes 🙂
r51!!!
r51!!!
I would’ve never imagined that technology, especially computers, has came from something so complicated. Thank you for this information!
The first computer looked more like a typewritter.
I love how hilarious the protégées are they always make me laugh everytime they come on
I love science live
I can’t imaging how can we calculate and process data with the computer language in tiny devices.
One day I wanna make my own device like a computer from scratch something Big! And cool
FIRST TIME ON LIVE IT SO GGOOOOODDD
I was always amazed by the genius behind binary.
first time to
Hi from New mexico
amazing episode. sending smiles from missouri
Thank you for informing us about the way AI works.
Greetings from Mexico 🇲🇽
Hello from WI!
I think it’s amazing how much computers and technology has changed, and how it’s become a big part of how everyday life.
I’m curious about binary code and can’t wait to see the different ways we use it in the future.
it was awesome i can’t wait till next week.
Hi from Texas!
hi to Dr. Billings
Hi from Montana. I love science Live because it teaches me facts and impresses me very much! 😃
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE!
These lives always help my brain
I can’t wait to learn more about binary code
carmelo from newport news virginia
why do computers take that much space
Hi!!!from San Antonio,Tx
Wow this might be my favorite lesson
Hello from washington. I love science live! =]
are there any places where vacum tubes are still needed?
I always laugh because of the proteges!
I enjoyed the Protégés episode 😂😆🤓
They did such a great job explaining everything and putting all the facts together in an entertaining way!
It is very cool and interesting to see and learn how inventors used logic and the electricity to be able to design computers and phones.
FIRST TIME ON LIVE HELLO FROM HAWAIIIIII
i enjoy science live so much!
It’s so cool how something so small can be so powerful!
how did they make the switches that small
How if computers use the language of binary, how much time does it take to translate everything from binary to normal abcdefg letters, or I don’t know maybe vice versa?
I really learn a lot from these videos! Thanks!
hi from kansas
david nd caleb are cool
It is very interesting to learn how inventors like Claude Shannon used logic and electricity in designing computers.
Hi from Alabama.! And I would like to say dr. billings you are absolutely wonderful.!
Dr. Billings You are AMAZING
I didn’t realize how interesting some parts pf science really are I loved this episode.
Hi from Florida
I never knew the moon was so difficult to get to.
I think old music like cassette tapes and records are so cool! I wish more people used them today
The episodes just keep getting better
I know right? these little episodes are very interesting because it is all about the past, and learning about new things that we didn’t even know about yet, Science is very cool!
Wow! Thats how computers work!! That is exciting!!
OMG the show is so cool. and I love r51
Hello from Washington!
I’m glad we learned about how much water and electricity AI uses! I was just telling my mom about it earlier
hi I’m from wv
I love science live
It’s amazing how much computers have progressed.
I LOVE SCIENCE LIVE❤❤❤
Amazing show tonight guys!!!
this is very fun
r51
hello from Maine!
Amazing video dr billings!
Hi from Oregon.
I enjoyed watching this very interesting!
wow computers are much more interesting than i thought!
i’m so thankful that we have better and faster computers today.
Science Lives are always so entertaining!
hello from colorado! i love science live, it inspires me to give me full 100%, like all of the people i learn about.
That was awesome. Thank you Caleb and David.
Exactly how much fuel does it take for us to head to the moon and then head back home?
Yes exactly how much fuel does it take fur us to head to the moon and then back?
Good job to the proteges.
Hi from New Mexico
Hello from Costa Rica! This is amazing! Love this class!!!
I love science live
Hello from Virginia
I love these new segments!
David and Caleb are really cool… i learned alot from them tonight. And liked learning about computers.
i love watching the proteges. wow its amazing how far computers have come to where they are now.
Hello from Texas, Great show tonight!
hiii from NY!!! this video is so fun!!!
Really interesting to finally understand just why computers use binary.
Hello from Hawaii
Here from NV!! Amazing science live tonight!
I really enjoy watching the proteges videos.
Hi from Nebraska
Hi from Rhode Island
Hi from NC!
Hi from NH! Amazing lessons!
Hello from Ohio great show can’t wait for the new one next week
Does the ENIAC still exist toady?
Science Live is amazing!
Thank you so much for this science live tonight!
how do you spell in binary
Hello from Tennessee, Great show tonight!
hello from Texas! please read my coment!
Hi from NY!
I love how they are able to take every day humor and science and put them together to make it fun to learn.
-Annabelle
I can’t wait for r51
Always excited for a new episode of science live
I joined a little late this time around I’ll definitely have to come back to watch the beginning, I always love watching these science lives and learning about a lot of things that I would have never looked into myself.
I really enjoyed Tobias’s information about the moon
Hi from Utah
This is so intriguing! I love the way the protogues explain things!
Hi I love science live
hi from tennessee!
Hi from Texas
hi from CA
Its crazy to think how back in the day everything was much more complicated, or had more attatchments to it.
Hi from Illinois! I am enjoying learning about binary!
I really think this is cool
Hello from alabama, i love watching the science lives.
I love science live!
Why is computer language ( Binary ) only ones and ceros.
Loved tonight’s video!! Can’t wait for next weeks
This one is my favorite one so far!! I like how funny this one was!
I love science!!
Hi from Edwards!
Caleb in the pilot suit omg
I never seen a computer like that before
Hello from Illinois
Computer power almost ANYTHING! I love how the teachers explain everything. its SO easy to understand!!
I never thought about the insides of computers like this or the history of calculators!
The diagrams and graphics are so helpful for understanding.
That was incredible and interesting for both sides
HELLO FROM VIRGINIAA
i love science live
Hello from Louisiana.
how many circits are there in the world?
From radios to computers. And computers are basically powered by math? Pretty cool.
Hello from vermont
What year was the computer created and when was binary created
I really enjoyed learning this today.
That is really cool that this was the first binary machine and made in the kitchen.
This episode is interesting. I like it.
Its so cool how the first computer was made in a kitchen
hi from california
awsome the first computer
Was the ENIAC computer used to compute math?
Hello from Vermont!
Hello from TN
This topic is so interesting!
Good Evening from Texas
I really like todays science live and it was really fun to!
hello from Georgia
Margaret Hamilton is so cool!!!
Its impressive how the computers have been upgrading since the first computer until today.
Hi from Mexico, always excited for science live on Wednesdays!!