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 »
I love learning about technology, especially computers. I think they are so cool!
Watching from Missouri!
r51 is so funny
David and Caleb are so funny!
The rapid developent of AI has had a tremendous impact on the world of technology.
I always look at the moon. It will be nice to walk on it.
R51 is my favorite!(:
How long will it take to launch all the AI servers into space?
Does Roger do science lives during the summer?
Transistors were an amazing invention so we could get to the moon.
never knew that floppy disks can be that big
happy Thursday cant wait to watch
vacuum tubes are cool!
The lecture taught me how the small details of a computer can affect the entire computer
I have a pc, and this is actually really cool to learn about
This is so cool. I hope to work in tech one day.
It’s awesome to see all the little mechanics in a computer.
The video taught me that if one little thing is messed up in the computer, then the whole thing is messed up
This was so cool, to be able to learn about the history of computers. It’s fascinating. Thank you!
Margaret Hamilton is so cool!
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The video taught me so much that small details really matter and everything that you do.
North carolina here!!!
Thank you for the new science live! Listening from Cape Town, South Africa
Learning how computers have changed over time is cool!
I thought this live became so cool, explaining about vacoom tube computing.
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that was a very interesting topic to talk about!
Tobias was awesome especially his voice!
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So that’s how a vacuum operates. That’s so cool. I love Science Live! One small disfunction can effect the whole system.
On average, How many students graduate from acellus in a year?
It’s crazy that before the tiny transistors we learned about in Episode 294, vacuum tubes were the only way to process data at high speeds.
That’s a really important discovery. And if it had not been found, then the entire mission might’ve gone awry.
I want to program my own video games when I grow up
why do computers only speak in binary?
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The original computers were huge.
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tell me more !
I find it crazy how computers use to fill a room, now they can fit into a persons pocket.
I really like learning about technology, I’m excited to see how far it will advance in the future.
Today I have learned that Binary is a code made up of ones and zeros and that it took two years to make the first “computer”.
Hey i am in Florida
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Watching from South Carolina.
Vacuum tubes are very interesting to learn about
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thanks for explaining about how trip to the moon went!
Small things matter, not only when working on something, but also in life.
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So funny. hello from Oklahoma
They’re putting those things in space that sounds so crazy
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The story about the scientists daughter was pretty funny.
So cool to find out about vacuum tubes and to know that’s how calculators came to be.
I remember floppy discs. I am old enough that we still use them when I was in high school.
R 51 is funny
Hello from Texas
The Protégés are so funny
😂
Computers are so intresting!!! Love watching this!
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I love technology, thanks you teachers, love all
Computers are so complex it’s very cool
Are we going to live on Mars?
. Dr John had some very interesting information on the future of AI.
so interesting that AI needs as much as 1.5 million households. That is a lot. We have to think about, if its worth that.
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computers were bigger than I thought 💻
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I never knew all these details of the moon landing and what they actually had to do to get there.
HI from tn
The history of computers is really interesting!
I love Acellus!
I can’t wait to grow up and become a scientist
I love this episode the smallest details can be the most important
Signing in from Cape Town
I’ve never thought about the process to getting to the moon
Learning about computers is so fun.
10/10 as always
I never knew how much power AI uses! That’s amazing.
How do vaccum tubes computing work
I liked how funny it was and it was about people from the past that made tech and 1’s and 0’s
I loved learning about the flight to the moon!
Wow! This was really interesting to learn about!
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I can’t wait for Acellus world this year. Last year was a lot of fun!
Hi from MS. I really liked today’s live.
Its kind of funny how the smallest things can make the biggest difference in things like computers.
I like the info on the binary codes with the 1 and 0.
hello from va! #acellus
r51 so funny
So interesting how the start of binary and computers started.
hello from Virginia
Epic Science Live as always!
Lots of things on computers today!
I found vacuum tubes interesting.
I love todays science live, I had fun learning about computers.
I really want to get into tech after graduation.
Computers always confuse me but each time they talk about them on science live, I gets a little bit easier!
Thanks for another great video as always from Illinois.
That new carbon dioxide form sounds really interesting!
Hope you get your voice back DR. Tobias 😊. The computers are a lot fun to learn about.
Binary is the language of computers….awesome!
reply if you love science live!!!!!!!!!
Hi From Namibia
I had no idea that computers had their own language.
Awesome video, I love learning about technology!
R51 LOL
Even the smallest details matter when dealing with computers, one error could be change everything.
Why do they call them pixels?
i love acellus
here from florida
Love today’s video it’s so cool we get a science live every week
science live is cool
Why did he make a vacuum chamber?
Sattelites are so cool. I never knew that they needed the sun to even function.
What is the moon made out of?
These videos always teach me something new, like a micro current turning on a radio
SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ready to learn about computers
Really cool that a woman and her daughter actually made such a huge difference in the moon landing!!
Computers really have evolved a lot over the years! Its interesting to think about how they’ll keep evolving as time goes on. Really good episode, can’t wait to learn more!
This video was interesting and I did not know a lot of the history of the technology we use today.
Computers really have evolved a lot over the years! Its interesting to think about how they’ll keep evolving.
Watching from GA!
I would find it hard to weave wires
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🧪
hello from saudi
Amazing the technology progress throughout time
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Technology gets a little confusing for me so these videos really help me out alot
hello from NH!
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wow I did not know computers are that complicated.
Listening from NC
Watching from Minnesota.
“Error” codes never give a good feeling. But glad the team had planned for that.
I never knew technology had so much work put into it. I use a tablet all the time and never thought about how they are made and how they actually work. It’s very interesting.
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Its crazt to think about how computers worked back then versus nou!
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So excited to watch Science Live !!!!!!!!
hello world of accelus.
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good morning from Kankakee IL.
Another great video from science live
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Why is getting to the moon so hard
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Excited to learn something new today!